By Àkànní Olúwaségún Michael
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has attributed delays in the payment of retirees’ benefits to what it described as longstanding institutional and pension-related challenges inherited from previous administrations.
Responding to concerns raised by former employees over unpaid entitlements, the agency said the issue did not originate under the current management, stressing that the backlog resulted from years of policy implementation gaps and administrative constraints.
“The issue of outstanding retirees’ benefits is a longstanding institutional challenge inherited from previous administrations due largely to policy implementation gaps, pension-related complications, and bureaucratic bottlenecks associated with public sector financial obligations,” the agency said.
NAMA maintained that the current management has renewed efforts to resolve the liabilities, noting that engagements have been held with retirees’ representatives and other stakeholders to facilitate the settlement process.
According to the agency, “Following engagements with relevant stakeholders and retirees’ representatives, the Managing Director immediately directed the appropriate departments to commence the necessary processes required for settlement.”
The agency argued that the delay should be viewed within the realities of public-sector financial administration, where payments are subject to multiple layers of approvals and regulatory compliance.
“Responsible governance within the public sector requires strict compliance with statutory procedures involving documentation, budgetary appropriations, administrative vetting, and government approvals before final disbursement can be effected,” NAMA stated.
It added that attempts to portray the delays as administrative neglect fail to acknowledge the procedural requirements governing public expenditure.
“Any attempt to deliberately ignore these procedural realities and portray them as neglect is both unfair and misleading,” the agency said.
Beyond the retirees’ benefit dispute, NAMA highlighted recent workforce reforms undertaken by the current administration, including the implementation of staff conditions of service and a new salary structure for employees.
“Under Farouk’s leadership, NAMA successfully implemented the Staff Conditions of Service in full, an achievement that eluded several previous administrations despite years of agitation by workers,” the statement said.
The agency also described the recently approved salary review as a major milestone in its employee welfare programme.
“This landmark salary enhancement demonstrates the administration’s unwavering commitment to improving the living conditions of employees and repositioning NAMA as a more motivated, efficient, and professionally competitive institution within the aviation industry,” it added.
The agency argued that the reforms reflect a broader commitment to strengthening workforce motivation and operational efficiency within the aviation sector, adding that employee welfare remains a key priority of the administration.
