"Governments, In The Past, Decided Just To Liquidate Nigeria Airways Without Tending To The Issue Of The Entitlements Of The Workers."

The Nigerian government has approved the payment of N45 billion severance package to former staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said this on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr. Sirika told State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council  meeting on Wednesday that money has been approved for the settlement of the entitlements.

He said: “Governments, in the past, decided just to liquidate Nigeria Airways without tending to the issue of the entitlements of the workers and they have been struggling to get that paid.

“We came in and took it very seriously. I’m happy to announce that Mr. President has approved N45 billion which has been confirmed to be the entitlements of these workers and Ministry of Finance has been instructed to pay the money.”

He explained that the ministry wrote to his office last week that they had received the instruction to pay the affected workers.

They are setting up the modalities to pay, Mr. Sirika added.

“You should know it won’t be paid through my ministry before somebody will say I take some of it. It will be paid by finance through a process, and that process will commence very soon,’’ he said.

The minister disclosed that the Council also approved the procurement of operational vehicles for Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

Affected workers of the Nigerian Airways had been embarking on protests nationwide over their unpaid entitlements since its liquidation by the federal government.

The national carrier was liquidated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Gsent Talks......Taking You Further