The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has defended its handling of outstanding retirees’ entitlements and dismissed allegations levelled against its Managing Director, Farouk Ahmed Umar, describing recent claims circulated in the media as misleading and malicious.
In a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, the agency said while retirees have the legitimate right to express concerns over welfare matters, there was a need to correct what it described as deliberate distortions regarding the current administration’s handling of retirees’ benefits and staff welfare.
According to NAMA, the issue of unpaid retirees’ entitlements did not originate under the present leadership but was inherited from previous administrations due to pension-related complications, policy implementation gaps and bureaucratic challenges associated with public sector financial obligations.
The agency maintained that under the leadership of Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, renewed attention had been given to the matter, leading to official approvals and institutional efforts aimed at resolving the outstanding obligations.
NAMA stated that following engagements with retirees’ representatives and other stakeholders, the Managing Director directed relevant departments to commence the necessary administrative processes required for payment settlement.
The agency, however, stressed that public sector financial disbursements must follow laid-down statutory procedures, including documentation, budgetary appropriations, administrative vetting and government approvals before payments can be made.
It argued that attempts to portray procedural delays as neglect were unfair and failed to acknowledge the realities of public sector administration.
Beyond the retirees’ issue, the agency highlighted what it described as significant staff welfare reforms introduced under the current management.
According to the statement, the administration successfully implemented the Staff Conditions of Service in full, an achievement the agency said had remained unresolved under several previous administrations despite prolonged agitation by workers.
NAMA also disclosed that a new salary structure had recently been approved and implemented, resulting in improved remuneration, staff welfare and higher morale among employees across the agency.
The agency described the salary enhancement as evidence of the administration’s commitment to improving workers’ living conditions and repositioning NAMA as a more efficient and professionally competitive institution within the aviation industry.
It further noted that the management had continued to invest in human capacity development through enhanced local and international training opportunities, improved operational conditions and sustained engagement with both serving and retired staff on welfare matters.
The statement also condemned attempts to introduce religious sentiments into administrative matters, insisting that NAMA remained committed to professionalism, inclusiveness and national unity.
The agency warned that religious bigotry and sectional propaganda posed serious threats to institutional harmony, national cohesion and productivity, especially within sensitive national institutions.
NAMA specifically rejected allegations suggesting that public funds were being diverted for personal religious activities, insisting that claims against Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar were entirely false and unsupported by facts.
According to the agency, the Managing Director’s personal religious obligations are privately funded and have no connection with public finances.
The statement added that under the current administration, NAMA had continued to record progress in several operational areas, including the strengthening of navigational infrastructure, improvement of operational safety systems, technical manpower development and sustained compliance with international aviation standards.
The agency said stakeholders within the aviation sector had continued to acknowledge the transformation and stability recorded in recent years.
While acknowledging frustrations arising from delays in entitlement payments, NAMA appealed for constructive and factual engagement on such matters, warning against inflammatory attacks capable of undermining institutional harmony and national unity.
The agency concluded that the achievements recorded under Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar’s stewardship in staff welfare, retirees’ engagement and institutional transformation would remain visible and enduring despite criticisms.
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