Governor Otti Reveals How Treasury Single Account Exposed Ghost Workers In Abia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has disclosed that his administration uncovered and closed down several fraudulent bank accounts previously operated by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.

Speaking at the 2025 Ngwa Convention held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Otti, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Caleb Ajagba, said the discovery was made possible through the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) at the inception of his administration.

He explained that the policy enabled the government to clean up the state’s payroll system, eliminate ghost workers, and transition to a digital payment structure.

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“In the early days of this administration, the Treasury Single Account was introduced and this cleaned up payrolls through verification to remove ghost workers, and moved to digital payment systems. The implication is that several fraudulent bank accounts maintained by MDAs across the state that could not be accounted for were closed, thus ushering us into better management and use of public funds for public good,” he said.

Governor Otti noted that the gains from the financial reform have enhanced the government’s capacity to pay workers and pensioners regularly, while health, education, security, and infrastructure sectors have also received significant attention.

He commended members of the Ngwa clan in the diaspora for their contributions to the development of Abia State and urged them to partner further with his administration by investing at home.

Otti assured them that Abia is now one of the safest states in the country following the introduction of Operation Crush, a joint security outfit that has drastically reduced kidnappings and other violent crimes.

The governor also stressed the importance of cultural preservation, revealing that the teaching of Igbo language and history has been prioritized to ensure younger generations remain connected to their heritage.