Presidential Candidate Pledges to Settle 22-Year-Old Nigeria Airways Severance Backlog

John Ogala, a presidential contender in the upcoming Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) elections, has pledged to ensure the full payment of severance benefits owed to former Nigeria Airways employees—22 years after the airline was liquidated.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Ogala emphasized that resolving the long-standing issue would be a top priority if he is elected president in December.

Nigeria Airways ceased operations in 2003 and was officially liquidated in 2004. The government, under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, paid the first batch of severance benefits in December 2018, 15 years after the airline’s closure. However, the remaining 50 percent—amounting to N22 billion—has yet to be disbursed despite reported approvals.

Ogala described the situation as a prolonged injustice, highlighting the hardships faced by former employees and their families. “Many have passed away in the struggle for what is rightfully theirs, leaving their families in distress and children out of school,” he said.

He also commended Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo for his recent efforts but noted that completing the payments falls within the jurisdiction of other ministries.

“This is not a campaign of promises; it is a movement of purpose. Together, we shall make ATSSSAN not just a union, but a family bound by solidarity and shared destiny,” Ogala concluded.