Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved a ₦1 billion appreciation fund for teachers in the state and ordered the immediate re-engagement of teachers who were disengaged or retired at 60 but are yet to attain the new retirement age of 65.
Otti announced the measures on Monday, October 5, 2026, during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Umuahia, while responding to demands presented by the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Madu ChukwuJekwu.
The governor said the ₦1 billion fund would be distributed equally among teachers in the state, regardless of when they joined the teaching service.
Otti also directed the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education to immediately return to service teachers below the age of 65 who had previously been disengaged.
“I want to give instructions from this year, Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, that anybody who is less than 65 years of age, if they have been disengaged, you must return them back,” the governor said.
He added that the directive should be implemented without requiring further approval, including for teachers who have only six months left before reaching retirement age.
The governor had previously approved the extension of the retirement age for teachers in Abia from 60 to 65 years. The latest directive is aimed at bringing back teachers who were affected by the former retirement threshold but remain below the new retirement age.
Otti also directed the payment of outstanding salaries owed to teachers whose payments had been delayed because of verification issues.
He gave a deadline of the end of October for the settlement of the affected salaries.
The governor further ordered the payment of salaries owed to 4,075 newly recruited teachers who had not yet received their wages.
On teachers’ promotion arrears, Otti directed the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board to conclude the processing of outstanding 2021 and 2022 promotions.
He ordered the board to harmonise the process with the State Head of Service and submit it for his approval, with the exercise expected to be completed before the end of October.
Otti also ordered the immediate payment of outstanding check-off dues owed to teachers, directing the Accountant-General of the state to clear the arrears within seven days.
The governor said his administration’s decisions were guided by its commitment to fairness and transparency, adding that government should remain consistent with its pronouncements.
The directives came after the state chairman of the NUT presented a number of issues affecting teachers during the World Teachers’ Day celebration.
ChukwuJekwu commended the administration for measures including the recruitment of thousands of teachers, payment of salary arrears inherited from previous administrations and regular payment of salaries.
He also cited the allocation of 20 per cent of the state’s annual budget to education among the measures taken by the administration.
However, he called for further improvements in teachers’ welfare and the resolution of outstanding issues affecting educators in the state.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, said the theme of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration, “Standing with Teachers: Protecting the Profession, Advancing Citizens, and Serving Our Teachers,” underscored the importance of teachers to nation-building.
Ubochi said the state government had continued to focus on teacher recruitment, professional development, improved infrastructure and modern learning environments.
The governor also spoke about the administration’s development of smart schools across Abia’s 17 local government areas.
He said the smart-school initiative was intended to complement, rather than replace, conventional education.
“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,” Otti said.
The Abia State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has also been implementing teacher-training programmes, including training for more than 4,000 teachers recruited under the Batch 2 of the 2025/2026 Teachers Recruitment Exercise.
The latest directives therefore cover several aspects of teachers’ welfare, including financial support, re-engagement, unpaid salaries, promotion arrears and check-off dues.
The governor’s announcement came as Nigeria marked the 2026 World Teachers’ Day, with teachers and their unions across the country calling for improved welfare, working conditions, career progression and greater investment in education.
For teachers in Abia affected by the former retirement age of 60, the directive means those who are still below 65 are to be considered for return to service. The state government has also set October deadlines for the settlement of several outstanding financial and administrative issues.
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