Ex-Nigeria Airways workers in endless wait for entitlements

Over 200 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways recently converged on the Air Force base at the Murtala Mohammad International Airport (MMIA) for a prayer session.  For some time now, the retirees have taken to the spiritual option to seek government intervention on their pensions and entitlements 12 years after the liquidation of the national carrier.

The regular prayer session saw the affected ex-workers praying for the nation and beseeching God Almighty to touch the heart of government to pay their entitlements.

Most of them, looking aged, sat with their holy books as they prayed for the payment. According to them, the prayer session was an avenue to draw government’s attention to their plight.

What has brightened their hope is the move by the present administration to re-launch the national carrier. The former workers insist that Nigeria actually deserves to re-fleet the carrier but they must be settled before that.

In fact, many are of the opinion that the airline still exists since the Act establishing it was not repealed or abrogated. According to them, the airline was liquidated by presidential fiat.

Undoubtedly, Nigeria Airways has become history, as many people would want to believe, but for it to be finally laid to rest, the former workers said they must be paid their pensions and entitlements amounting to over N80bn.The flag carrier was liquidated in 2004 by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, citing insolvency.  But many people have come out to challenge the propriety of the action, noting that the assets of the airline were much more than the liabilities.

The death of the airline continues to haunt the nation as thousands of its workers are left to languish in poverty. Only a few of them are still in active service. Several others are too old to carry placards or march on the streets in protest and that was why they resorted to the weekly Friday prayers.

Having served the nation for many years and sacked unceremoniously through the liquidation of the airline, the former workers are angry that the nation they served wholeheartedly has let them down as many of them passed away in the struggle.

The founder and leader of the Bring Back Nigeria Airways Forum, Capt. Ibrahim Yunusa Kazaure, told Daily Trust last year that over 800 of them had died in the struggle. In fact, he said their members die virtually on daily basis, some due to inability to buy drugs or pay hospital bills.

Last year, many of the former workers died. Among them, according to Daily Trust’s checks, are Alhaji Shehu Hamisu Musawa, a former Director of Administration of the Nigeria Airways who died on November 27, 2015, Alhaji AbdulHameed Tundun Wada died on Monday, November 28, one Mr. Abutu of Catering Department died on Saturday,  November 19, on October 19, Mr Allen Owolabi of the Avionics/Eectrical workshop also joined his ancestors. Also on December 20, another former worker, Sidikat Amope Flora Ademola, also passed away. Capt. Tony Ahamnonu died in Enugu on Tuesday,  August 30. Ms. Mary Taiwo Adejinle, who was the District Manager, Abuja Station before the liquidation of the airline, died on June 19, Mr. Felix Ozor of the Accounts Department died on Thursday, November 3.

However, part of their prayer point has been that none of them would die again until they get their entitlements, said Dr. Steve Mahonwu, 74.

He blamed the delay in the payment of their entitlements on bureaucratic bottlenecks, saying however that he had faith in the present government to pay their money.

Mahnwu said, “Bureaucracy has caused some delay. The president would have paid our pensions and gratuities but it has been moving from one table to the other. We ought to have been paid before Christmas and New Year but we don’t know what is happening again. The president is a listening one. He listens to those that cry to him. So we believe that we will get justice this time.

“The money is there according to information we have but bureaucracy, those who are checking and doing continuous audit, checking and cross-checking, a letter would stay with one Permanent Secretary for a whole week or two weeks without moving.

“This is Buhari’s administration and we believe no paper should spend more than two days on a desk to create a philosophy of change. Change does not mean political change alone. There should be economic change, change in civil service orientation.

“It is a very unfortunate development that a lot of us have died. Some even died last week, they continue to die. Now that we are moving towards our cashier to pay our money, we are dying everyday. We will not die again. We have entered a covenant with Almighty God that now until we get our money, spend the money and rehabilitate ourselves, none of us will die again. The covenant has been passed to Almighty God and he has endorsed it”.

He said the move by the government to re-fleet a national carrier was welcome but all issues relating to Nigeria Airways must be settled.

“We are not opposed to another carrier in Nigeria. Nigeria is supposed to have a national carrier, it is a must, not a political game-saying but all labour issues relating to it should be settled concretely and accordingly. Then we will give support. We will pray for the incoming airline to come on board. Those of us who still have stamina to work, I am not one of them, will go and look for job. Those of us who are sidelined because of age, not intellectual capacity or half qualification, can only comment and react to national issues, contribute to debates and do some consultancy for a new organization.”

Also speaking, Capt. Bayo Sanyaolu said, “As far as the minister’s statement is concerned, everybody is hopeful that something would happen, more so that the minister is also a pilot. I am sure he has the interest of his colleagues at heart.”

Capt. Ibrahim Yunusa Kazaure, the founder and leader of the Bring Back Nigeria Airways forum, a body which has been championing the cause of the former workers, said he had no doubt that Buhari would put smile on their faces.

“I believe that the APC government will deliver as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari during his campaign period and we all know that Buhari is a man of his words, I believe he will deliver, it is just a matter of time. Unfortunately, our people are dying on almost a daily basis. Now is the time to help us and pay the remaining surviving staff “.

Sirika had during a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos described the Nigeria Airways as “a sad story”. However, he said government was considering a budgetary provision to offset all the liabilities so that the story of the airline could be laid to rest.

“We’ll consider using budgetary provision and we are talking to government and other options. This government will ensure all outstanding liabilities are paid off and we allow Nigeria Airways lay in peace”, the minister said.

dailytrust