‘900 Nigeria Airways retirees died’ while awaiting retirement benefits

Shu’aibu Alfa, member, ministerial committee on the verification of payment of the retirement benefits of former workers of the Nigeria Airways, says 900 retirees died while awaiting payment.

Alfa, who is the supervisor, Kano verification centre, disclosed this to NAN on Friday.

In September, the federal government had released N22.68 billion to settle part of the retirement benefits of the former workers.

Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, said the money approved was 50 percent of the N45 billion benefits of the retirees.

The national carrier ceased operations in 2003 and was liquidated a year later,  based on the declining performance of the airline and huge debt profile.

Before its collapse, the airline had 4,516 employees.

Alfa said since 2004,  at least 900 of the retirees died while the medical cases of some of them became worse.

He explained that the verification exercise, holding across three centres, has been without hitches.

“The verification exercise has been going on very well, we made sure retirees were former staff of Nigeria Airways and we have their records,” Alfa said.

“We ask questions and when they are certified, we clear them to start the verification process.

“In the verification team, we have people from the Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Finance, Accountant General’s Office, Head of Service, EFCC, ICPC, PITAD and we also have our representatives on each desk.”