Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, recently addressed the people of Abia during his monthly live Radio and TV program at Government House, Umuahia, to clarify the findings of a committee established to investigate the conduct of the former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo.
The Governor stated, “Reviewing the report, there was no evidence of financial misconduct, but certain actions were not aligned with established policies. Given that she opted to resign, the government chose to accept her resignation.”
He further emphasized, “I want to reiterate that no money was stolen, and no funds were mismanaged. However, some procedures were violated, and while this was not deemed severe enough for more than a reprimand or caution, she chose to resign, and we accepted her decision.”
Regarding complaints about salary reductions for some workers in Abia, the Governor condemned the act as criminal and urged those affected to present evidence to the Commissioner for Information or the Accountant General for further investigation.
On security issues, Otti praised the efforts of security agencies in the state, noting an improvement in security conditions. He also announced a forthcoming policy change, stating that the retirement age for nurses in Abia State will be extended from 60 to 65 years, effective next week.
Additionally, Otti explained that his administration would no longer proceed with the planned transfer of a significant number of civil servants to schools as teachers.
