NAMA Rejects ‘False Narratives’ on Retirees’ Benefits, Defends Administrative Reforms
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has defended its leadership over allegations surrounding unpaid retirees’ entitlements and claims of administrative bias, insisting that the current management under Farouk Ahmed Umar remains one of the most reform-driven and worker-friendly administrations in the agency’s history.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, the agency reacted to comments reportedly made during a monitored television interview concerning retirees’ outstanding benefits and accusations targeted at the NAMA leadership.
The agency stated that although retirees were entitled to express concerns over welfare-related issues, it became necessary to clarify what it described as misleading narratives capable of distorting public perception of the agency’s operations and ongoing reforms.
According to the statement, the issue of unpaid retirees’ benefits predates the current administration and was inherited from previous managements due to longstanding pension complications, policy implementation gaps and bureaucratic challenges associated with government financial processes.
NAMA explained that contrary to claims suggesting neglect, the administration of Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar had taken deliberate steps to address the outstanding obligations by securing official approvals and initiating administrative processes aimed at settling the entitlements.
The agency disclosed that following consultations with retirees’ representatives and relevant stakeholders, the Managing Director directed the appropriate departments to commence procedures necessary for payment processing.
However, it stressed that disbursement of public funds within government institutions must comply strictly with statutory procedures involving documentation, budgetary provisions, administrative vetting and approvals from relevant authorities before final payments can be effected.
The agency maintained that portraying such procedural requirements as indifference or deliberate neglect was unfair and ignored the realities of public sector administration.
Highlighting achievements recorded under the present leadership, NAMA stated that one of the major milestones of the administration was the successful implementation of the Staff Conditions of Service in full – a development it said several previous administrations failed to achieve despite years of demands by workers.
The statement further revealed that the agency had recently introduced and implemented a new salary structure that significantly improved staff remuneration, welfare packages and workers’ morale across various departments.
According to NAMA, the salary review reflected the administration’s commitment to enhancing employee welfare and strengthening institutional efficiency within Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The agency also noted that the current management had continued to prioritise human capital development through expanded local and international training programmes, improved operational working conditions and sustained engagement with both active and retired staff on welfare matters.
It stated that the reforms introduced under the current administration had contributed significantly to institutional stability, operational efficiency and improved workforce motivation within the agency.
On allegations relating to religion and sectional bias, NAMA condemned attempts to politicise administrative matters through what it described as reckless and divisive insinuations.
The agency stressed that it operates strictly on the principles of professionalism, competence, inclusiveness and national unity, adding that there was no room for religious bigotry or sectional interests within the organisation.
It warned that attempts to weaponise religion for personal or political purposes could fuel distrust, weaken workplace harmony and undermine productivity in sensitive national institutions.
NAMA particularly dismissed allegations suggesting that public resources were being diverted for the Managing Director’s personal religious activities, describing the claims as false, baseless and unsupported by evidence.
According to the statement, Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar personally finances his religious obligations without any link to public funds or agency resources.
The agency also pointed to operational improvements recorded during the current administration, including enhanced navigational infrastructure, strengthened operational safety systems, technical manpower development and sustained compliance with international aviation standards.
It noted that stakeholders across the aviation sector had continued to acknowledge the stability and transformation witnessed within NAMA in recent years.
While recognising frustrations among retirees over delayed payments, the agency appealed for calm and urged concerned parties to engage constructively without resorting to inflammatory statements capable of undermining institutional harmony and national cohesion.
NAMA concluded that despite existing administrative and financial challenges, the leadership of Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar had continued to demonstrate commitment, accessibility and sincerity in addressing the concerns of both staff and retirees, insisting that the administration’s achievements in welfare reforms and institutional development would remain enduring.
