Governor Alex Otti has committed to clearing salary arrears owed to staff at ABSUTH and Abia Poly but emphasized that he should not be held accountable for these debts, which were inherited from his predecessors.
“I am not indebted to anyone, and I have not owed anyone since I assumed office in 2023,” Governor Otti stated. “It is important to clarify that these debts were inherited. We are addressing them as resources permit, but we must also attend to other pressing matters.”
The Governor noted that some arrears were not disclosed until recently. He added, “Whenever I addressed these issues in the past, my predecessor accused me of lying, and the affected individuals remained silent.”
Otti argued that it is unfair to hold him responsible for debts incurred by others. “The arrears should have been paid by those who incurred them. It is unjust to blame someone who is trying to resolve the issue,” he said.
“We have been in office for approximately 15 months and are tackling these arrears one by one,” he concluded.
