Chinedu Eze
Many former personnel of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) have lost their lives while waiting for their pension and severance package to be paid by the federal government.
It was disclosed Wednesday that not fewer than seven ex-employees of the defunct NAL have died within the last one week as the workers continue to await the release of the N45 billion approved by the federal government for the payment of their pensions and gratuities.
This was disclosed by the Chairman, Nigerian Airways Elders Forum, Mr. Godwin Jibodu, who told journalists that many of them died, not due to old age but penury and lack of hope for tomorrow.
Jibodu lamented that the pensioners were wallowing in abject poverty despite serving the nation exceptionally during their time in Nigerian Airways.
“We have lost seven colleagues within the last one week because they could not afford proper treatment for their ailments. This is very sad because the government has approved N45 billion since June for payment of our pensions and gratuities.”
Jibodu listed the recently deceased as Capt. Asuquo, Capt. Akintaju, Mr. K. C. Amah, Mrs. Bose Oladumiye, Mr. Onyebuchi Anunobi, Mrs Adebayo Awoyinka, Mr. T. Bellgam and Mr. Ebenezer Akinbode.
He added that another colleague, Capt. Charles Ntanyi had been missing since August after boarding a commercial bus at night in the Ogba area of Lagos.
“We are appealing to Nigeria as a nation not to forget the contributions of Nigerian Airways to national development. Nigerian Airways was a partner to the government and till date has helped in building the capacity of workers in the aviation sector,†he said.
According to him, since the money was approved, the pensioners had been making enquiries at the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Aviation and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ascertain why the payment was yet to start.
“There is so much silence and we don’t know who is delaying the payment and it is very unfortunate,†Jibodu said.
