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After decades of government laxity and
corruption, Nigeria’s national carrier Nigeria Airways Limited was officially
liquidated in 2003 after 45 years of operation without the settlement of staff
benefits by the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo in his first four year
tenure. After years of wrestle by the new ex-workers of Nigeria Airways through
various local and international trade unions, the Federal government agree to
pay off the now pensioners in 2005.
It was later to be found that the payment made by the government was far below the expected and a new round of agitation by the ex-workers began. This time, it took 4 years in another administration to get something out to the ex-workers after Olusegun Obasanjo remained adamant that he was not giving anything more to the workers.
Late President Musa Yar’adua in 2009 gave another round of installments to the creditors with the promise that the rest will be paid in no time however, till the death of Musa Yar’adua no further payments were made. Ebele Jonathan never gave any sign that he would heed to the plight of the pensioners and not a dime was given to the pensioners throughout his 6 year rule.
The new administration of Gen Muhammadu Buhari gave new hopes to the ex-workers and for some time, it was beginning to appear that their hopes were not misplaced. The current President even made declarations that the airline will be back in operation. The Federal Executive Council in September 2017 approved the payment N45 billion from the N78 billion owed to the ex-workers in pension/severance benefits. The strongest news from amongst the ex-workers now is that the money is already in the banks awaiting a final approval by the Minister of Finance.
What is delaying the payments the workers say is the payment committee who has refused to give a date on which the payments will be made. The proper identity of the excos of this committee is proving to be quite illusive which makes mentioning names difficult. There is a school of thought that believes that the committee members are hoping for President Muhammadu Buhari to die so that they would convert the money to their personal wealth.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (Nigeria Airways Branch), Mr Sam Ezene, disclosed that no fewer than 900 of the ex-workers have died awaiting their pensions from the Federal Government. October 2017 was a tragic month for the ex-workers as 7 of them died under various circumstances.
Sources also have it that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, is deliberately refusing to pay insisting that the payment will make some of the ex-workers 'extremely' rich. It will be agreed that this should not be any of the minister's business, after all; they worked for it. The ex-workers might even be said to have the right to sue the government for delaying the payment for this long. Another school of thought has refused to blame the minister for this ill treatment holding the view that President Buhari himself is reluctant to press for the payment.
In which ever case, we Nigerians have the right to demand fair treatment by the people we voted into office. This is an appeal and a demand to those at the helm of affairs in Nigeria to ensure that the ex-workers are given what they have deserved and waited for for years with agony and hardship.
It was later to be found that the payment made by the government was far below the expected and a new round of agitation by the ex-workers began. This time, it took 4 years in another administration to get something out to the ex-workers after Olusegun Obasanjo remained adamant that he was not giving anything more to the workers.
Late President Musa Yar’adua in 2009 gave another round of installments to the creditors with the promise that the rest will be paid in no time however, till the death of Musa Yar’adua no further payments were made. Ebele Jonathan never gave any sign that he would heed to the plight of the pensioners and not a dime was given to the pensioners throughout his 6 year rule.
The new administration of Gen Muhammadu Buhari gave new hopes to the ex-workers and for some time, it was beginning to appear that their hopes were not misplaced. The current President even made declarations that the airline will be back in operation. The Federal Executive Council in September 2017 approved the payment N45 billion from the N78 billion owed to the ex-workers in pension/severance benefits. The strongest news from amongst the ex-workers now is that the money is already in the banks awaiting a final approval by the Minister of Finance.
What is delaying the payments the workers say is the payment committee who has refused to give a date on which the payments will be made. The proper identity of the excos of this committee is proving to be quite illusive which makes mentioning names difficult. There is a school of thought that believes that the committee members are hoping for President Muhammadu Buhari to die so that they would convert the money to their personal wealth.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (Nigeria Airways Branch), Mr Sam Ezene, disclosed that no fewer than 900 of the ex-workers have died awaiting their pensions from the Federal Government. October 2017 was a tragic month for the ex-workers as 7 of them died under various circumstances.
Sources also have it that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, is deliberately refusing to pay insisting that the payment will make some of the ex-workers 'extremely' rich. It will be agreed that this should not be any of the minister's business, after all; they worked for it. The ex-workers might even be said to have the right to sue the government for delaying the payment for this long. Another school of thought has refused to blame the minister for this ill treatment holding the view that President Buhari himself is reluctant to press for the payment.
In which ever case, we Nigerians have the right to demand fair treatment by the people we voted into office. This is an appeal and a demand to those at the helm of affairs in Nigeria to ensure that the ex-workers are given what they have deserved and waited for for years with agony and hardship.
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