Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has addressed concerns surrounding salary deductions for civil servants, attributing the issue to the migration from the 2018/2019 tax rate to the current tax rate.
Otti explained that the investigation revealed no evidence of salary pinching, but rather a difference in tax deductions due to the updated tax rate.
The governor also addressed the issue of salary disparity in some Local Government Areas, stating that it was not true and attributed to tax deductions using the current rate. Additionally, Otti clarified that overtime allowance payments would only be made for civil servants who perform overtime duties at the request of the government.
Regarding the minimum wage, Otti stated that a committee had been set up to address the issue, awaiting further clarification from the Federal Government. He emphasized that the government is working with the Nigerian Labour Congress to find a solution within the state’s resources.
Otti also discussed the distribution of Abia’s share of the Federal Government’s rice palliative, stating that it was shared among the poorest in society and low-level civil servants.
