Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced a N1 billion Teachers’ Appreciation Fund as part of activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in the state.
Otti made the announcement in Umuahia during an event held under the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing Its Status and Shaping Our Futures.”
The governor also directed the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to reinstate teachers below the age of 65 who had been disengaged after reaching the previous retirement age of 60.
Otti said the affected teachers should be returned to service without requiring additional approval, including those who are only a few months away from retirement.
The governor further directed that salary arrears owed to teachers whose payments were delayed because of verification issues should be cleared before the end of October.
He also ordered the immediate payment of outstanding salaries owed to 4,075 newly recruited teachers who were yet to receive their pay.
While congratulating Abia students who performed well in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations, Otti said his administration would continue to support improvements in the education sector.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, said the World Teachers’ Day theme reflected the important contribution of teachers to the development of society.
Ubochi highlighted reforms undertaken by the Otti administration in areas including teacher recruitment, professional development and improvements to school infrastructure.
The Chairman of the Abia State wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Madu Chukwujekwu, commended the governor for the recruitment of more than 9,000 teachers and other measures taken to strengthen the education sector.
He, however, drew the government’s attention to some challenges facing teachers and expressed confidence that the administration would address them, while assuring Otti of the continued support of teachers in the state.
