Between 2004 and 2018 when the airline was unwisely shut down, over 1,000 of the former workers of the defunct national airline had been forced to suffer to death due to their inability to handle the challenges that came their way due to lack of funds.
Since the airline was liquidated 14 years ago, Nigeria has had four governments including the one that liquidated the airline against all entreaties.
Of the four governments, that of the Late AlhajiUmaru Musa Yar’Adua showed a bit of human feelings by paying five years out of the 15 years the government agreed to pay the former workers as their final entitlements.
Certainly, the affected workers will always remember the government of Yar’Adua for not following the path of its predecessor who apart from controversially liquidating the airline, paid off the airline workers in Europe and America 25 years entitlements almost immediately but refused to pay the workers in Nigeria and West Coast.
Recalled that President Buhari at one of the Federal Executive Councils (FEC) meeting gave the final approval for the release of N45 billion being the benefits accrued to the over 4,500 workers of the defunct national carrier before last December.
Despite the presidential approval up till last week, the file for the payment was still trapped between the ministry of finance and the National Assembly.
Between when the FEC approval was made public and now, over 400 of the former workers had died without being paid while intrigues and counter-intrigues over the payment of the benefits between the ministry of finance and the National Assembly continues.
The latest is that the aviation unions have vowed to shut down the airspace if the government fails to pay off the former workers.
With two weeks ultimatum already issued to the government by the unions which is expected to elapse next week Monday, a little respite came few days after the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika announced that government will start paying the former workers after the Easter break which ended on Monday, all hands are on the deck to see if government will keep to its words this time around.
The need for government to commence the payment of the benefits of the former workers became pertinent in the sense that they have been treated shabbily by their government which treated other nationals who equally worked for the liquidated airline like ‘kings and queens’.
Above all, what will it benefit the government should the aviation unions shut down the airspace over failure to pay the workers?
N45 billion looks big to some people who believe they own the government and not the over 180 million Nigerians including the former workers of the airline who elected them into their various offices, but the genuine questions waiting for answers include: if the former workers did not work for the defunct national carrier or should a worker not deserve his/her wages?
If the airline former workers in Europe and America could be paid 25 years final benefits almost at once, why not the workers in Nigeria and West Africa?
At this point, government should not take the threat of the unions for granted by failing to commence the payment of the former workers to avoid a serious consequence and an international embarrassment.
Presently, tempers are very high and all strategies have being perfected to shut down all activities within the aviation sector this week with many of the affected workers battle ready to use their last blood to fight for what they called their rights should the government renege on this latest promise. The Muhammadu Buhari led government would have written its name in gold if the payment kicks off at once.
Of what benefit will it be for government to see the businesses of individual and even its agencies suffer losses through the disruption of flight activities because of a mere N45 billion;
What of the inconveniences airport users will be subjected to that cannot be quantified and what of the international impression and embarrassment? The time has come for this government to protect itself by honouring its word.
and then