Buhari Approves N42.68bn For Aviation, Education Sectors
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The Nigeris's President, Muhammadu Buhari had graciously approved the sum of N22.68 billion to be immediately paid ex-workers of the Nigeria Airways Limited in liquidation, after fifteen
years.
In addition , the president directed the sum of N20 billion be
released to the public universities for revitalization
scheme.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed communicated President
Buhari's directive on Monday, 24th September 2018 at a joint meeting with the ex-workers of the defunct
National Carrier and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities
( ASUU).
Ex-workers of the airline have been in a dire and despair condition
following accumulated outstanding benefits running for years after the
airline was liquidated. The distraught ex- workers staged a protest
Tuesday at the entrance gate to the headquarters of ministry of finance,
a day after resumption of office of the new Minister. Zainab
empathized protesting ex- workers with a promised to take up the
issue.
She said: ” Upon my resumption of office as the Minister of Finance,
some pending fiscal issues in the aviation and education sectors were
immediately brought to my attention. As such, I took it as a challenge
to quickly address key issues regarding the settlement of existing
claims in both of these sectors. Consequently upon this , i’m happy to
inform you that Mr. President has graciously approved the sum of N22.68
billion and N20 billion to aviation and education sectors respectively
“.
While promising that, the balance of fund of retired Airways workers
would be paid as soon as government finances improve , which she pegs
at six months from now, she said the initial amount after liquation
came to N78 billion.
” This amount was verified by Presidential Initiative on Continuous
Audit (PICA) and other relevant stakeholders in line with the condition
of service of Nigeria Airways in liquidation and other extant rules and
regulations. At the end of which the sum of N45 billion was agreed as
the total retirements benefits of the affected staff”.
On N20 billion approval for public universities, which came in the
wake of ASUU’s fresh ultimatum for strike, Zainab said revitalization
fund to be released to beneficiary universities was inline with
administration’s determination to revitalize public universities to
ensure smooth running.
” You may recall that the ASUU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (
MoU) with the federal government of Nigeria sometime in 2013 on the
terms and conditions on which the government would improve funding for
staff welfare and the provision of critical infrastructure in our public
universities. However, the implementation of this bilateral agreement
has had certain challenges due to revenue shortages and other reasons “,
she said.
Responding, ASUU Vice- President Emmanuel Oshodeke said the agreement
entered with government was higher than what government offered.