A Non Governmental Organization, Vision Foundation for Bridge Building & Effective Governance, has tasked Abia State Governor-elect, Alex Otti, to take seriously the welfare of workers and to never toy with it if he wants to last in power.
The group also advised him to swiftly plug all financial leakages in collecting Internally Generated Revenues (IGR), to end the era of public funds ending up in private pockets.
It also appealed to the Governor-elect to prioritize pensioners’ welfare at a press conference in Umuahia, the state capital.
Decrying the high level of fraud in the collection of IGR over the years, the NGO alleged that revenue agents collude with corrupt government officials to siphon public funds.
Executive Director of the NGO, Elder Charles Dike, who was flanked by the Director of Administration, Deacon Benjamin Arisa; and Director Media, Chimdi Oluoha, urged Otti to keep his promises to Abia workers and pensioners which made them vote for him en mass.
According to the NGO, Otti’s promise to clear backlog of workers’ salary and pension arrears, was part of the reasons he got the mandate of Abia voters.
The NGO equally urged the Governor-elect to reform Abia civil service, and carry out biometric audit of workers to determine the actual number of workers in the state.
This, according to the NGO, will help checkmate ghost worker syndrome and padding of workers’ salary.
It also tasked Otti to consciously tackle infrastructural deficit, rural electrification, education and health challenges to give Abia residents a new hope.
The NGO implored the Governor-elect to be magnanimous in victory and build a strong team of patriotic experts not withstanding their political affiliations “to help build the Abia dream we have yearned for over the years”.
It urged both the national and state house of assembly members-elect, to jettison party affiliations and join hands with the Governor-elect to rebuild the state for the good of all.
The NGO further appealed to all those who lost at the polls to accept their defeat in good faith as the wish of the majority, and discontinue with litigations as part of their sacrifice for the emergence of new Abia.
It advised them except those who have genuine case, to avoid the waste of productive man hours and resources in challenging the outcome of the polls in court.
The NGO which said its objective was to promote good governance and accountability, said it would not hesitate to support any effort to move the state forward.