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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N22.68 billion to settle half of the entitlements owed ex-workers of defunct Nigeria Airways Limited.
Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this on Monday, saying that the amount represents 50% of N45.3 billion pwed the workers.
“15 years after, I’m happy to announce today, that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N22.68 billion, being 50% of N45.3 billion total entitlements of the Ex-workers of Nigeria Airways Limited in Liquidation,” she said in a tweet.
The minister observed that the ex-workers have been through “untold hardship” as they were not paid their retirement benefits for the past 15 years. “This unfortunate situation cannot be allowed to continue under a responsible admininistration” she said.
She however pointed out that a committee has been constituted “to physically verify the claims of Pensioners and relevant Next-of-Kin before the release of funds to the approved beneficiaries”.
She assured that other modalities will be worked out by the committee to ensure speedy payment, transparency and integrity of the process.
The committee is to be headed by the Secretary of Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), Dr. MK Dikwa.
Other members of the committee, according to the minister, include representatives of the:
- Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation
- Federal Ministry of Aviation
- Federal Ministry of Finance
- Bureau of Public Enterprises
- Office of the Accountant General of the Federation
- Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD)
- Union of Ex-Workers of Nigeria Airways Limited (in Liquidation)
- Budget Office of the Federation.