The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has attributed delays in the payment of outstanding retirees’ entitlements to longstanding bureaucratic, policy, and pension-related challenges inherited from previous administrations.
The agency also defended its record on employee welfare, stating that the current management, led by Managing Director Farouk Umar, has taken concrete measures to address the issue and improve working conditions across the organisation.
NAMA made the clarification in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Abdullahi Musa, in response to allegations of negligence in handling employee welfare matters raised by some aggrieved retirees during a recent television interview.
While acknowledging the right of former employees to seek redress regarding welfare concerns, the agency said it was important to place the matter in its proper context.
According to Musa, the issue of unpaid retirees’ benefits did not originate under the current administration.
“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,” he said.
The agency maintained that, contrary to allegations of neglect, the present administration has demonstrated a clear commitment to addressing the backlog of outstanding obligations.
Musa said renewed administrative attention under Umar’s leadership had resulted in official approvals and institutional efforts aimed at resolving the matter.
“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 statement said.
NAMA, however, explained that the disbursement of retirees’ entitlements is governed by public service regulations and procedures that cannot be circumvented.
According to the agency, payment processes require extensive documentation, budgetary appropriations, administrative vetting, and government approvals before funds can be released.
“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.
“Any attempt to deliberately ignore these procedural realities and portray them as neglect is both unfair and misleading,” the statement added.
Beyond the retirees’ benefits issue, NAMA highlighted several employee welfare initiatives implemented under the current administration.
The agency stated that it had successfully implemented the Staff Conditions of Service in full, describing the achievement as a milestone that previous administrations had been unable to accomplish despite years of employee advocacy.
It also disclosed that a new salary structure had recently been approved and implemented, resulting in improved remuneration for employees.
“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,” the agency said.
The statement comes amid growing concerns among some retired workers over delays in the settlement of outstanding benefits. However, NAMA maintained that efforts remain ongoing to resolve the issue within the framework of established public sector procedures and regulatory requirements.
