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By Godbless Ozegbe, former Nigeria Airways staff member in the engineering and maintenance department

On 31 May 2004 the government announced the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, as a result of a damaging report presented by the then minister of aviation, Mrs.Kema Chikwe. This came to me as a very rude shock, especially as management was about to implement the second phase of its programme of repositioning the airline, having completed the first phase with resounding success.

I felt terribly disappointed because it was obvious that I was going into the already saturated unemployment market in the country. I felt bad that the closure of the airline would dash my hopes of realising my career ambition as an aviator.

With my status as a public servant, backed by the provisions of the Pensions Act and the constitution of the country, I expected my salary arrears and other benefits to be promptly paid to me. This did not happen.

To date the liquidator has only managed to pay my salary arrears, leaving other outstanding benefits unpaid. The delay in the payment of my full entitlements is as a result of the government position, through the minister of aviation, that I am not a public servant. This is completely against the labour laws as enshrined in the constitution, which states that any company either wholly owned by the government, or in which the government has a controlling share, is a public organisation, whose employees are entitled to gratuities and pensions.

I thank God that I have a vibrant, focused and committed union at the forefront of the struggle. Through them I have been able to get my salary arrears settled. And with their ongoing efforts, supported by my colleagues and myself, we now have some hope of light at the end of the tunnel. However, the struggle continues. It is not over until it’s over.