The federal government says it has started paying N18 billion unpaid severance compensation to 2,100 former workers of the collapsed Nigeria Airways Limited, more than two decades after the national carrier was liquidated.
The statement, which was issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance yesterday, indicated that payment for 2,100 beneficiaries throughout Batches 1 to 7 had been completed, while another 600 recipients under Batches 8 and 9 were being finalised for payment in the coming days.
This development is coming on the back of the permission by President Bola Tinubu to offset the unpaid severance obligations being owed to the former Nigeria Airways staff. The Executive Branch
The payment is part of the government’s commitment to settling genuine outstanding commitments owed to Nigerians, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, stated, Channels TV reports.
Behind these numbers are people and families who have waited years to get what is lawfully owed to them,” said Mr. Oyedele.
We have a responsibility to take care of the pending commitments, to close the necessary processes and once we get the resources, make sure that the people that are affected see the impact of the government in a positive way.
“The exercise demonstrated what could be achieved when government institutions cooperated to address longstanding issues, while ensuring that appropriate safeguards were maintained in the management of public funds,” added the minister.
The ministry stated the process of paying the cash included detailed verification of beneficiary records that included biometric capture and validation of personal and banking information to guarantee the monies were delivered to legitimate beneficiaries.
Seldam Dangin, Director in charge of the Presidential Initiative and Continuous Audit (PICA) Department, said the Ministry was also preparing a mop-up activity for a second phase to capture eligible beneficiaries whose records could not be processed during the first phase.
The exercise will comprise update of wrong or obsolete information, additional biometric verification where necessary and rectification of financial details, he said.
This also will include cases of deceased recipients whose next of kin or estates would be required to go through the proper verification and legal processes before payment can be given.
Subject to final arrangements, the mop-up exercise is planned to start by the end of September or early October.
The ministry lauded the cooperation of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the National Assembly Joint Committees on Aviation in progressing the efforts to clear outstanding payments.
The Senate Committee on Aviation led by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari and the House Committee on Aviation led by Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba were also commended for their supervision and participation on the topic.
The Federal Government said the initiation of payment of the first seven batches and the readiness of the 8th and 9th batches was a big step toward the resolution of the long outstanding severance obligations to the former Nigeria Airways personnel.
It said the upcoming mop-up activity is likely to give an opportunity to address pending cases and bring additional eligible beneficiaries into the payment process.
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