The retirees of the liquidated national carrier, Nigeria Airways, have cried out over the failure of the Federal Government to pay their N36 billion pension arrears, 22 years after.

The retirees under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to order the release of the fund by the Ministry of Finance.

Addressing the press during a peaceful protest in Lagos, spokesperson of the group, Olufemi Ashogbon, said its members had been in a hopeless state since the airline was liquidated in 2003 by the Federal Government.

He said last year, the President approved the payment of the N36 billion pension arrears, but up till now, the funds have not been released.

He said the union has written several letters to the Ministry of Finance in respect of its demand for the payment of the outstanding N36 billion severance pension payment, but has yet to receive any concrete decision from the government.

“Our members are dying in droves. Many of them are on sick beds waiting helplessly for the last breath on earth. We appreciate the President’s approval, and we also use this opportunity to appeal to our President to help look into this,” he said.

In a communique signed by the union’s former President of Aircraft Pilot and Engineer, Kyari Ayuba, and Former Director of Finance, Bose Oluwo, the union recalled that in 2004, when Nigeria Airways was liquidated, about 6,000 workers were disengaged without full severance benefits under the Nigerian labour laws, while their foreign nationals were fully paid according to the international labour standards and labour laws.

The challenge for many of the employees, the communique explained, marked the beginning of a long period of suffering and uncertainty.

“The total agreed amount for this settlement was N78 billion. Over the years, successive administrations made partial payments toward this obligation. However, by the time those payments ended, the outstanding balance stood at approximately N36 billion.

“Many of the affected former workers are now elderly citizens aged between 65 and 101 years. These men and women served Nigeria faithfully during their active years as pilots, engineers, cabin crew, technicians, administrators, accountants, and other aviation professionals who helped build the nation’s aviation industry.

“Last year, hope was rekindled when Tinubu graciously approved the payment of the outstanding N36 billion owed to the ex-staff and pensioners of Nigerian Airways. But up till today, the fund has not been released by the finance ministry.
“We respectfully appeal to the Minister of Finance and the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently resolve this matter by approving and releasing the outstanding severance benefits,” it said.