Nigeria Airways pensioners hail govt over release of benefits

Former staff of liquidated national carriers, Nigeria Airways have commended the Authorities in Nigeria for releasing over N23 billion (about $63.1million) as the first tranche of their outstanding N45 billion (about $123.5million) 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.

He added that the former workers and pensions were surprised that less than a week after the new Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed took over, she has facilitated the release of the funds.

“ I 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,” he said.

The federal government of Nigeria recently released about N22.68 billion to settle part of the retirement benefits of former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.

FG Releases N42.7 Billion for Public Varsities, Ex-Airways Workers

The Federal Government has released N22.68 billion to settle part of the retirement benefits of former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.https://t.co/fKDOxh7hBH pic.twitter.com/hxqVQob9Ov

— 9jatravel (@9ja_travel) September 25, 2018

This was disclosed by Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, who announced the setting up of a nine-member committee to verify the claims of the ex-workers, stating the money approved was 50 percent of their N45 billion benefits.