Nigeria: Former Airways Workers Block Airport Road in Protest of Over N45bn Pension

Lagos — Former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways are staging a protest at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos on Tuesday following what they called the prolonged delay and uncertainty over the payment of the N45bn pension approved for them last year by

President Muhammadu Buhari.

The retirees have blocked the road linking the International wing with the domestic terminals of MMA causing traffic gridlock on the ever busy road.

The protesters singing solidarity song with different placards demand explanation from the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun on why their pension approved since May last year has not been paid.

The protest kicked off from the Skypower Catering Service with hundreds of members participating. They were earlier addressed by their leaders including the Chairman of Nigeria Airways' branch of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Sam Ezene and Engr. Lukman Animasahun.

Nzene said the protest would move to Abuja after Wednesday if nothing was heard from the government on the status of their payment.

"The Minister (of Finance, Kemi Adeosun) keeps insisting that National Assembly has to approve and we went to the National Assembly but they said there is nothing on Nigeria Airways at the National Assembly. That is what we have been dragging since September," he said.

The placards read, "President Buhari, save us from Kemi Adeosun now"; " Mrs Adeosun, your action and inactions are man's inhumanity to man"; "Madam Minister of finance, where is our pension and entitlements, pay us now"; among others.