NigerianFLIGHTDECK Travel and Business Reportage 
FEDERAL government has begun yet another auditing of former staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways who were not captured in the previous exercise a move aimed at ensuring that the right statistics are on hand as commence payment of their entitlements.
The verification audit which is taking place simultaneously Lagos and Kano centres and other centres is carried out by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA).
Speaking yesterday, the permanent secretary in charge of special duties in the ministry of finance, budget and national planning, Mr. Mohammed Dikwa, assured the ex-workers that the federal government would pay of their entitlements after the audit.
Dikwa, represented by the deputy director of procurement, Mr. Izerebu John according to a statement by the deputy director of information in the ministry, Mr. Olajide Oshundun said PICA had commenced a week-long mop-up verification for the ex-workers who were not audited during the previous exercise.
He added that the exercise was meant to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries were audited and paid their entitlements.
He, however, advised them to cooperate with the verification officials by providing all the required documents.
Meanwhile, the secretary general, Nigeria Airways Pensioners Union, Mr. Segun Adeleke expressed appreciation to the federal government for taking he described as a “bold and “commendable step.
He said the pensioners had lost hope of receiving anything from the government.
The national vice chairman of the union (north), Mr. Mohammed Adamu said only about 500 of the airline’s former workers would be audited in the mop-up exercise.
He explained that most of the eligible workers had been audited and paid 50 per cent of their severance package after the earlier exercise conducted in the six geo-political zones in September, 2018.
Recall that the Nigeria Airways was liquidated in 2004 without the almost 6,000 workers being paid any entitlements.
However, following continued agitation by the workers, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 approved 50 per cent severance package for all the audited staff of the organisation.
