Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has approved a N1 billion Teachers’ Appreciation Fund for teachers across the state and ordered the immediate settlement of outstanding salaries, check-off dues and promotion-related obligations.
Otti announced the fund on Monday, October 5, 2026, during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration at the Michael Okpara Event Centre, Umuahia, after the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Madu ChukwuJekwu, presented a list of issues affecting teachers.
The governor directed the Accountant-General of the state to distribute the N1 billion equally among teachers, describing the gesture as recognition of their contributions to the development of Abia and the upbringing of children.
He also ordered the payment of all outstanding check-off dues within seven days.
“If check-off dues have not been paid, maybe you have not provided the account because the money is sitting there,” Otti said.
On salary arrears, the governor directed that teachers whose salaries were delayed because of verification issues must be paid by the end of October.
He further ordered the immediate payment of salary arrears owed to the 4,075 newly recruited teachers, directing that the payments be completed before the end of the month.
Otti also directed the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) to conclude the processing of outstanding 2021 and 2022 promotions and harmonise the exercise with the Head of Service for his approval.
According to him, the promotion exercise must be completed by the end of October.
The governor also addressed the issue of teachers who were disengaged before attaining the approved retirement age of 65 years, directing the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education to reinstate affected teachers below 65.
“I am surprised that that matter is still outstanding. I want to give instruction from this podium, Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, that anybody who is less than 65, if they have been disengaged, you must return them,” he said.
“I have given the approval from here. Please bring all of them back. Even if it is six months before retirement, bring them back. You don’t need further approval.”
Otti said his administration would continue to pursue fairness and transparency in the education sector, while thanking teachers for their large turnout at the celebration.
He said the government was also introducing modern approaches to learning through the development of Smart Schools across the 17 local government areas of the state.
“The whole idea is not to supplant traditional education, but to make the future of education available to our children. They can always have a choice,” the governor said.
He assured teachers that the administration would sustain its policy of free and compulsory education, while congratulating Abia students who performed well in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.
“We want to congratulate our children who did well in WAEC and NECO. We want to let you know that we are just beginning. You will see more results as time goes on,” Otti said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, said the 2026 World Teachers’ Day theme highlighted the critical role of teachers in shaping society.
Ubochi said the state government had focused attention on teacher recruitment, professional development, school infrastructure, modern learning environments and the development of Smart Schools.
He added that technology was being integrated into teaching and learning to strengthen teachers’ capacity and effectiveness rather than replace them.
In their goodwill messages, the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha, and the Labour Party candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, congratulated teachers and commended their support for the administration’s education reforms.
Earlier, the NUT chairman, ChukwuJekwu, commended the governor for what he described as efforts to reposition the education sector, including the recruitment of more than 9,000 teachers, payment of salary arrears inherited from previous administrations, regular payment of salaries and allocation of 20 per cent of the annual budget to education.
He, however, drew the governor’s attention to outstanding challenges affecting teachers and expressed confidence that they would be addressed.
The governor was accompanied to the event by elected officials, mayors and senior government appointees.