EFCC, ICPC operatives drafted into ex-Nigeria Airways staff verification exercise

The Federal Government has drafted operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) into the ongoing verification exercise of former workers and pensioners of the liquidated Nigeria Airways Limited.

According to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, their participation was to ensure transparency and accountability and ensure that people who were not qualified did not have access to the money.

The minister, who was represented by the Secretary of Presidential Initiative for Continuous Audit (PICA), an arm of the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Dikwa, stated this on Thursday at the Skypower Catering Limited premises in Ikeja, Lagos.

The minister also disclosed besides displaying the relevant documents, that the EFCC and ICPC officials were obtaining thumbprints of the beneficiaries.

While addressing the ex-Airways workers and pensioners, Dikwa said hitches experienced in the exercise were being looked into, adding that the Federal Government would create more desks and deploy more personnel to fast-track the ongoing verification exercise.

According to him, government was aware of the hitches and had approved extension of the verification by one week to ensure that beneficiaries were accommodated.

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There has been concerns over the several hitches that have been experienced in the course of the verification exercise, with scores of pensioners and former workers alleging that there were not enough personnel to attend to beneficiaries that are very sick and the elderly.

Dikwa said: “We were here to confirm that the verification is on course, and we have noted some hitches, which would be addressed with the extension of the verification for an additional week.

“The whole idea is to ensure that all beneficiaries are captured. We call for orderliness and pledge that we will increase the personnel to take care of beneficiaries, whose names were omitted. We understand the consequences that have come with the delay in the payment of these severance benefits, especially those that have either died, lost their documents and others. We will create a special desk for them.”

He also revealed that the ongoing exercise would be the last one.

“This will be the last verification before all payments are closed. Government is paying 50 per cent now to settle the balance in the next few months. We are making plans to ensure those living outside the country are not omitted. So, there is no cause for alarm.”

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

 

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