Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has cautioned his appointees that anyone caught engaging in bribery or corruption will be dismissed from office.
The governor gave the warning while worshipping at the Abayi District of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Aba Conference, stressing that his administration is committed to transparency and accountability.
Otti’s remarks come two weeks after the state government dismissed six officials of the Ministry of Justice over alleged salary padding.
He noted that his involvement in Abia politics was to restore the dignity of the state in line with the values of honesty and integrity for which the Igbo are known.
“If anybody tells you to bring money for anything, tell him it is a lie. He is a dupe, because he will collect the money from you and still not do anything for you. That is why you will never see bribery and corruption in this government. If you get involved, I will fire you. We are intolerant of corruption and nobody can plead for you,” Otti said.
The governor further highlighted that the recent recruitment of 5,394 teachers in the state was conducted strictly on merit, with none of the successful applicants paying to secure employment.