Former workers and pensioners of liquidated national carrier Nigeria Airways Limited have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order Minister of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun to release the N45 billion approved last year as their final severance benefits.
The appeal to Buhari according to sources is to stave off further deaths as not less than 838 former workers and pensioners Of Airways have died since September 2004 when the carrier was liquidated.
In a letter dated, January 8, the Ministry of Transportation responded to a letter by the National Chairman, Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Airways Branch urging Ex – Airways workers exercise patience with government on the delay in release of the funds.
The letter signed by S. U. D Maigana , director incharge of Human Resource Management reads: ” I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter December 22, 2017 on payment of N45.3 billion pension pay off to ex – Airways workers/pensioners of defunct Nigeria Airways.
“The ministry is working hard to ensure that your members’ entitlements are paid accordingly. You are further advised to exercise some patience with government , while thanking you for your usual cooperation. Please accept the warm regards of the Minister .”
In a letter dated September 13, 2017 , Mrs Adeosun informed her aviation counterpart that she has received approval from the Presidency for the settlement of benefits of 5,909 verified ex-workers and pensioners of Nigeria Airways in liquidation.
The letter reads :”Accordingly , the approval is based on the recommendations that physical verification of beneficiaries would be carried out by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit and other relevant Federal Government agencies before payment is effected.
” That payment of the outstanding claims has been factored in the Promisory Note Programme ( PNP) of Federal Government.
” The minister may wish to note further that you would be notified on the commencement of the payment as soon as the process of PNP is completed .”