By Matthew Denis
Former Managing Director of the defunct Nigeria Airways, Engr. Jani Ibrahim has opened up on the planned disbursement of N22.68bn by the Federal Government for former staff of the national airline.
Speaking to Pilot Aviation at the Ilorin International Airport, at the weekend, Ibrahim said he would take position on the issue when adequately informed about the development.
He said, “For now I’m only seeing and hearing it on the media but will follow it up and get back to you appropriately.”
In his reaction to the issue, the immediate past Rector of the International Aviation College (IAC), Capt. Abdulmumini Abdulkarim on Friday said it is a good development.
He stated that it would be okay for the former staff of Nigeria Airways to be paid their severance package.
Abdulkarim, an ex-staff of the Airways further stated that he was not being owed by the Airways.
” By the time I left the Airways, I was fully paid my salary, but those whom the Federal Government is yet to pay were the workers in service when the Airways closed down.”
The Federal Government had penultimate week approved the sum of N 22 .68 bn for the payment of retirement benefits to former workers of liquidated Nigeria Airways Ltd.
The amount, which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari is about 50 per cent of the N 45 . 3bn entitlements of the former workers of the company .
The Minister of Finance , Mrs Zainab Ahmed said this on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance .
Apart from the N22 .8bn for the former aviation workers , she said that the sum of N20 bn was approved for the education sector.
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 N 22 .68 bn and N20 bn to aviation and education sectors respectively .”
The minister said the initial outstanding retirement benefits due to ex- workers of the Nigerian Airways based on their submission was N78 bn .
She said 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 N 45 bn was agreed as the total retirement benefits to the affected staff.
“The ex- workers of Nigeria Airways Ltd in liquidation were not paid their retirement benefits for the past 15 years despite the liquidation . “
