Former workers of liquidated national carrier, Nigeria Airways on Monday hailed the Federal Government for releasing over N23 billion as the first tranche of their outstanding N45 billion severance benefits 15 years after the airline was shut down.
Speaking on behalf of the workers and pensioners, Chairman of Aviation Unions Grand Alliance (AUGA), Comrade Lookman Animashaun said they were elated over the good news having waited over a decade for government to do the needful.
Animashaun said the former workers and pensions were surprised that less than a week after the new Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed took over, she has facilitated the release of the funds.
He said he was part of the meeting in Abuja, where the Minister raised a committee comprising officials of Auga, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Federal Ministry of Finance, Aviation, Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), Office of Accountant General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Labour, Office of the Head of Service and other federal agencies to work out modalities for the disbursement to beneficiaries after verification.
Animashaun said a meeting has been fixed for Thursday in Abuja to accelerate the disbursement of the benefits.
He however called on the Minister to fast track the release of the next tranche of N23 billion to the former workers and pensioners.
He said “We thank President Buhari for doing this and we look forward to the release to the outstanding forty three billion naira very soon.”
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the sum of N22.68 billion to be paid ex – workers immediately.
Minister of finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed communicated President Buhari directive on Monday at a meeting with the ex- workers of defunct National Carrier and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
Ex-workers of the airline has been in a dire and despair condition following accumulated outstanding benefits running for years after the airline was liquidated. The distraught ex- workers staged a protest Tuesday at the entrance gate to the headquarters of ministry of finance, a day after resumption of office of the new Minister Zainab empathized protesting ex- workers with a promised to take up the issue.
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. As such, I took it as a challenge to quickly address key issues regarding the settlement of existing claims in both of these sectors. Consequently upon this, I am happy to inform you that Mr. President has graciously approved the sum of N22.68 billion and N20 billion to aviation and education sectors respectively.”
While promising that, the balance of fund of retired Airways workers would be paid as soon as government finances improve , which she pegs at six months from now, she said the initial amount after liquation came to N78 billion.
“This amount was verified by Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) and other relevant stakeholders in line with the condition of service of Nigeria Airways in liquidation and other extant rules and regulations. At the end of which the sum of N45 billion was agreed as the total retirements benefits of the affected staff”. (NAN)
