The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has blamed delays in paying outstanding retirees’ entitlements on long-standing bureaucratic, policy, and pension-related challenges inherited from previous administrations.
The agency said the current management led by Managing Director Farouk Umar has already taken concrete steps to address the issue.
It made the clarification in response to allegations accusing the leadership of negligence in handling staff-related matters.
NAMA made this disclosure in a statement issued on and signed by its spokesperson, Abdullahi Musa on Friday.
Reacting to claims made by some aggrieved retirees during a recent television interview, the agency said it recognises their right to seek redress over welfare concerns, but stressed the need to properly set out the facts.
Musa noted that the problem of unpaid retirees’ benefits did not start under the present leadership.
He said, “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 stressed that, contrary to claims of neglect, the administration under Farouk Umar has shown commitment to addressing the backlog.
The statement read partly, “Significantly, it was under Engr. Farouk’s administration, which renewed administrative attention, institutional commitment, and official approvals, secured towards addressing the outstanding obligations.
“Following engagements with relevant stakeholders and retirees’ representatives, the Managing Director immediately directed the appropriate departments to commence the necessary processes required for settlement.”
NAMA, however, noted that the disbursement process is guided by strict public service rules that must be followed and cannot be bypassed.
“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 agency stated.
