According to Vanguard, the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) has issued an urgent appeal to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Finance to expedite the payment of long-overdue liquidation entitlements to over 4,000 former employees of Nigeria Airways. The call comes amid concerns over bureaucratic delays holding up presidential approval for the funds.
The industry think-tank expressed disappointment that despite public commitments made by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo regarding executive clearance for the payout, former workers continue to face administrative bottlenecks. ASRTI noted that the decades-long delay following the national carrier’s liquidation in 2003 has subjected elderly veterans to avoidable hardship and poverty.
The body urged the federal government to hold accountable any administrative personnel responsible for misplacing or delaying official files. Resolving the liquidation liabilities is seen as essential for restoring institutional confidence within Nigeria’s civil aviation sector.
Aviation Line covered the press statement, quoting ASRTI President Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju (rtd), who declared, “The human cost of this delay is a national tragedy and a bad omen to citizens currently serving Nigeria dedicatedly.” African Business Travel News echoed the call, highlighting Onitiju’s warning that “to reward decades of patriotic service with administrative ping-pong is a stain on our national conscience.”
Echotitbits take:
Settling legacy liabilities from defunct state enterprise liquidations is vital for government credibility as it seeks private sector capital for new aviation concessions. The Ministry of Finance will face pressure to clear these payments in the upcoming fiscal quarter to prevent further public backlash.
Source: Daily Trust – https://dailytrust.com/asrti-urges-immediate-payment-of-nigeria-airways-retirees-entitlements/, August 29, 2026
Photo credit: The Guardian
