…As FG approves 50% payment of Nigeria Airways retirees N45.3bn
Barely one week after the federal government announced the suspension of Nigeria Air, it has President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the sum of N22.68 billion for the payment of retirement benefits to former workers of liquidated Nigerian Airways Ltd.
It was not clear if the move was to douse the anger of aviation sector operators and the unpaid retirees over the wastage spree embarked upon by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika that led to the ‘crashing’ of the much publicized new national carrier even before making the first landing in Nigeria.
The amount according to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed is half payment considering the fact that the total e“15 years after, I’m happy to announce today, that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N22.68 billion, being 50% of N45.3 billion total entitlements of the Ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Limited in Liquidation.”
“As you might be aware, the Ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Limited (in Liquidation) were not paid their retirement benefits for the past 15 years. Many ex-workers have been through untold hardship. This unfortunate situation cannot be allowed to continue under a responsible admin.”
Business Hilights recalls that Nigeria Airways was first Nigeria’s national carrier founded in 1958 after the dissolution of West African Airways Corporation (WAAC). It held the name WAAC Nigeria until 1971 when it was rebranded to the name it had until it ceased operations in 2003.
She said, “Upon my resumption of office as the minister of finance, some pending fiscal issues in the aviation and education sectors were immediately brought to my attention.
The minister explained further that the initial outstanding retirement benefits due to ex-workers of the Nigerian Airways based on their submission was N78bn, but after a verification exercise by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit and other relevant stakeholders in line with the condition of service of the liquidated Nigerian Airways Ltd, it was the sum of N45bn was agreed as the total retirement benefits to the affected staff.
She recalled that “The ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Ltd in liquidation were not paid their retirement benefits for the past 15 years despite the liquidation.”
The minister was however, silent on any plan to probe expenses made on the failed Nigeria Air or an inquiry on how much commonwealth was spent before it was suspended.
