After years of waiting in agony, retired employees of the Abia State government are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel as Governor Alex Otti fulfills his campaign promise to clear the accumulated pension arrears left by past administrations.

Tears of joy flowed freely among the senior citizens as they began receiving credit alert messages, some even receiving amounts as substantial as N1.8 million or more.

Governor Otti, speaking at Christ the King Catholic Church in Aba during Chrism Mass and renewal of priestly vows, assured the pensioners that they would receive their dues by the end of the day. True to his word, credit alerts flooded the accounts of retirees across Abia and beyond.

Confirming the heartwarming development, Comrade Chukwuemeka Irondi, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners in Abia State, expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for keeping his promise and emphasized the governor’s commitment to the welfare of pensioners.

Chief Emeka Okezie, Coordinator of the Concerned Abia Pensioners, revealed that payments began even before Governor Otti’s announcement, with retirees receiving varying amounts, some as high as N1.8 million.

In response to Otti’s initial promise to clear the arrears by December, which was later extended due to new revelations during verification exercises, pensioners expressed understanding and renewed hope as the governor assured them that their long-awaited dues would be settled by the end of March 2024.

As the pensioners rejoice in the fulfillment of Governor Otti’s promise, plans are underway for a march of solidarity to express gratitude for wiping away the bitter tears of Abia pensioners.