Nigerian governor vows to prosecute civil servants involved in pension fraud

“We have zero tolerance for corruption. Once we got convincing information, we had to arrest the people involved.”

Governor Alex Otti has vowed that anybody implicated in the mismanagement or theft of pension funds in the state will face prosecution.

Mr Otti made the remark on Thursday night during the November edition of the monthly media briefing at the Government House, Umuahia.

He said that recent investigations revealed some civil servants were involved in pension fraud.

He said that the government would work diligently to investigate and hold accountable anyone involved in pension fraud as part of the efforts to sanitise the civil service.

“I am sure you would have heard some reports about some civil servants who were involved in pension fraud.

“We have zero tolerance for corruption. Once we received convincing information, we had to arrest the people involved.

“Coincidentally, the opposition went on air to castigate the government.

“My question is somebody stole and I arrested him and you went to press to say that I shouldn’t arrest a thief. That means you are a thief yourself.

“I think we have responded to them, and we are continuing with their prosecution,” Mr Otti said.

He said that he received a report on the investigation from the security agency handling the matter and authorised the perpetrators to be arraigned in the next few days.

Primary Healthcare Centres rehabilitation

On health, Governor Otti said that the government would soon commence the rehabilitation of the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) in the state to improve access to quality healthcare services.

“I have just signed off the reconstruction of about 200 primary healthcare centres in the three senatorial districts and 17 local government areas.

“If you look around, you will see that work would start in the PHCs.

“When we are done with the approved 200, we would move to the next 200, until we have touched every primary healthcare centre,” the governor said.

He further said that the government had commenced the rehabilitation of 22 secondary healthcare centers across the state.

According to him, the government was making serious efforts to attract the right personnel to work in state-owned health facilities and pay them competitive compensation packages.

Road construction

Governor Otti also spoke on road construction, saying that contracts had been awarded for the reconstruction of some roads to further drive socioeconomic development in the state.

He listed the roads as the 5.5-km Onuimo-Abia Tower Road, 29-km Onuinyang-Okporoenyi-Oboro-Ikwuano Road, 11.5-km Ntigha-Mbawsi-Umuala Road, and 11.1-km Obehie-Umudobia-Owaza Road.

Other roads are the 11.7-km Mbala-Umuaku-Ngodo Road, Umuogo-Nsukwe Ring Road, 13-km Ohanze-Ntighauzo-Obete-Umuoha-Obende-Akirikaobo Road and 6.92-km Umuopara Ring Road.

On agriculture, Mr Otti said he had approved the disbursement of funds to the 300 Abia youths sponsored by the government for training on improved agricultural practices.

He affirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development and capacity building to enhance growth in the state’s various economic sectors.

On the economy, Mr Otti said the government had made significant improvements in enhancing the ease of doing business in the state.

“The National Bureau of Statistics published a report that showed that our state came from number 27 in terms of attraction of foreign investment to number three out of 37, immediately following Lagos and Abuja.

“We think between June 2023 and June 2024, our state attracted almost $150.9 million to place 3rd.

“We have always said that foreign investment as a matter of fact is not emotional but rational, so investment and investors don’t listen to platitudes, they look at action,” he said.

The governor expressed his determination to continually work toward creating an enabling environment that will ensure Abia remains a choice destination for investors.

(NAN)