Hope rises for disengaged South-East civil servants as Otti moves to reverse 2011 ‘Non-Indigene’ Policy

Hope has risen for civil servants from Anambra and other South East states who were disengaged in Abia State in 2011 during the “Non-Indigene” policy, as Governor Alex Otti has directed the State's Head of Service to look into their requests for recall.

Otti, who stated this on Saturday during a reception organized in his honour by Anambra indigenes living in Aba, described the disengagement of the workers as illegal, saying that his administration is addressing the wrong policies of the past.

Responding to the request for re-engagement made by 154 Anambra indigenes who were sacked in 2011, the Abia Governor said that though it happened long before he came to power, he would take a look at their plight with a view to considering a fair resolution.

He assured the Anambra indigenes that those who are still under service age would be re-engaged after the review, while those who are above the age would be compensated.

“A list of 154 people who were disengaged in 2011 has been submitted. I have taken the list and I will ask my people to look at it. I see that the majority of the people were teachers, and I don't know how old they are, but if they are under 65, we will be able to work out an arrangement where we may re-engage them on a contract basis.

“We have a shortage of teachers, and because we don't agree that somebody who lives here is not from here, that action in 2011 was illegal,” Otti said.

While reacting to a statement that the Governor would be supported and voted into the Senate in 2031 after his second term in office, Otti said that he would not be interested in the Senate after his second term but would retire from active politics to allow the younger generation to serve.

While thanking Anambra people living in Abia for their support of his administration since 2023, Otti said his administration has already abolished the State of Origin dichotomy.