Just when the former staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways taught they will finally heave a sigh of relief, another obstacle has been thrown their way.
This time, the Nigeria Airways staff has been told they would have to undergo a fresh verification exercise before being entitled to their benefits.
This news comes following the Federal Government’s approval of N22.6 billion for the payment of their entitlements.
The development was confirmed by the chairman, Nigeria Airways Elders Forum, Mr. Godwin Jibodu, on Wednesday at a meeting of the pensioners of the defunct national carrier at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
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According to Jibodu, the pensioners had rejoiced when the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the release of the funds for the part-payment of the ex-workers being owed N45 billion on September 25.
His words;
“The purpose of the meeting is to brief the workers about what the minister said and that the verification will begin very soon. Everybody should prepare his or her documents for the verification.
The committee is made up of people from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transportation, Office of the Accountant-General and ex-workers of Nigeria Airways. So, we have told our members to prepare all their documents; letter of appointment, letter of retirement and their identity card.”
He said further that although no date has been given for the commencement of the verification, the committee in charge of the exercise will start work on September 27.
He also expressed optimism that the verification would be hitch-free and concluded within the shortest possible time so that the pensioners could receive their entitlements after waiting for over 14 years.
Nigeria Airways started operations in August of 1958 and was liquidated in May 2003 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government.