The National President of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade John Ogbe, has praised President Bola Tinubu for the commencement of outstanding payments to former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
Ogbe, who spoke in an interview, said the severance benefits were being paid in batches, expressing confidence that the process would be completed shortly.
Ogbe Thanks Tinubu, Keyamo
The ATSSSAN president expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for their roles in advancing the payment process.
He said former Nigeria Airways workers had suffered untold hardship over the years while waiting for their outstanding severance benefits.
“From ATSSSAN, we want to commend the President of the nation. We want to commend Professor Keyamo, who served as a catalyst in speeding up this payment process,” Ogbe said.
He also commended the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation for their contributions to resolving the long-standing issue.
According to Ogbe, some former workers have already started receiving their payments, while others will receive theirs in subsequent batches.
“These outstanding payments, severance package payments, have been a long-standing issue. We thank God that when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came on board, he gave provisional approval, I think last year, and today, the money has started rolling in,” he said.
Ogbe said the development showed that justice delayed could still be achieved, adding that the former workers were happy to finally receive money owed to them.
The ATSSSAN boss described the payment as a victory for the union, noting that many former Nigeria Airways workers remained members of the association.
“Most of the Nigeria Airways staff belonged to the union till today. We still hold EXCO members of Nigeria Airways in ATSSSAN,” he said.
Ogbe added that he felt fulfilled by the commencement of the severance payments after years of waiting by the former workers.
