NUP hails Tinubu over N18bn payment to Nigerian Airways retirees, seeks subsidy palliative

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for commencing the payment of N18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,700 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.

The union described the intervention as a long-awaited relief for beneficiaries who had waited more than two decades to receive their entitlements.

In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, the NUP said it was pleased that its calls and pleas to President Tinubu over the outstanding entitlements of former Nigeria Airways workers had been answered.

The union said it had repeatedly raised the issue through press statements and releases, open letters to the President and other engagements, urging the Federal Government to provide relief to the affected former workers.

It said the payment represented “justice delayed but finally delivered” to Nigerians who spent their productive years serving the country.

According to the union, many beneficiaries had struggled with medical bills, feeding and family responsibilities, while some died without receiving their entitlements.

The NUP commended President Tinubu, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) involved in the verification, processing, and commencement of the payment.

It also commended the Presidential Initiative and Continuous Audit (PICA) for its efforts to ensure that the payment exercise progresses successfully.

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The union appealed for the process to be completed smoothly and transparently, with the proposed mop-up verification capturing genuine beneficiaries whose cases remain unresolved.

It specifically called for beneficiaries with incorrect banking details and deceased beneficiaries to be included, noting that their legitimate entitlements should, after due verification and legal processes, be paid to their next of kin or lawful estates.

“The NUP appeals to President Tinubu: please finish what you have started. Let every genuine beneficiary be captured and paid,” Abumisi stated.

The NUP also praised President Tinubu for commencing the payment of Additional Exit Benefits to retirees of Treasury-funded Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under the Federal Government Exit Benefit Scheme (EBS).

The payment amounts to N1.1 billion for 175 retirees who exited the Federal Public Service between January 1 and August 31, 2026. The union described the development as another step towards addressing the retirement needs of former public servants.

However, the union renewed its appeal for the payment of the three-month N25,000 monthly palliative approved for pensioners following the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023.

The NUP said three years after the approval, affected pensioners were still awaiting payment, adding that the funds would provide relief amid economic pressures.

It appealed to President Tinubu to direct the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and urged the ministry, “as a matter of responsibility,” to do everything within its powers and mandate to ensure that the promised palliative is fulfilled.

The union also appealed for continued attention to outstanding pension arrears, gratuities, and other retirement benefits owed at the federal level.

It further called for action on the plight of state and local government pensioners who, it said, remain unpaid for months or years in some cases.

The NUP stressed that elderly pensioners still require food, rent, and medicines after decades of service, with some depending on children, relatives, friends and neighbors for survival.

“Pension is not charity. Gratuity is not a favor. Retirement benefits are legitimate entitlements earned through years of service,” the union stated.

The NUP expressed appreciation for the relief being extended to former Nigeria Airways workers and retirees under the Exit Benefit Scheme, saying such interventions demonstrate the impact of timely government action on pensioners and retirees.