By Nathaniel Irobi
After more than two decades of agonising neglect, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commenced the payment of retirement benefits to former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, bringing relief to thousands who have waited since the airline’s abrupt liquidation in April 2003.
The development has drawn praise from the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), which specifically commended the President and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, for their responsiveness to the plight of the ex-workers.
In a statement, ASRTI President Air Commodore (rtd) Ademola Onitiju expressed the group’s appreciation for the government’s intervention, describing it as a long-overdue acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by the dedicated professionals who served the nation’s former national carrier.
“Nigeria Airways was the proud national carrier and a symbol of our collective sovereignty. The men and women who worked there were dedicated professionals who served with unwavering zeal, trusting that the nation they contributed to build would care for them in their golden years,” Onitiju said.
The ASRTI president further urged the Federal Government to expedite the payment process for the remaining living and deceased staff, ensuring that their respective families receive their entitlements promptly.
“The Federal Government is further requested to kindly conclude the process of payment to these senior citizens to end their avoidable suffering and loss of life,” he added.
The payment initiative marks a turning point for the ex-workers, many of whom have endured over two decades of uncertainty following the airline’s liquidation. For years, retirees and their families have staged protests and made repeated appeals to successive administrations, with little success until now.
The intervention by Tinubu’s administration, championed by Keyamo’s ministry, is seen as a significant step toward addressing one of Nigeria’s most lingering labour grievances.
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