Nigerian people, especially
those who suppose to know better are the one who exhibits character of lies and
deceits. I read an article written by Harold Sonibare,a public commentator who
wrote from Kano ; in which he dressed Stella Oduah ordeal as a
witch-hunting by the untouchable in the Aviation sector.
He wrote: ‘Under Stella’s
watch, there are have been remodeling of 19 airports and reconstruction of
control towers, runways resurfacing and installation of new weather systems,
with the activation of the Aerotropolis in the waiting for the use of
Nigerians. Expectedly, there must be a fight back by the untouchables have
waged a vindictive war against the Minister. Her efforts appear to have angered
the self-loving group but Stella Oduah, does not seem worried by the
ploys of this aggrieved cabal to scuttle her developmental agenda for the
Aviation sector. The pace at which she recreates most of the facilities in the
aviation sector which have almost become artifacts signals her firm believe in
the pronouncement of posterity and divine reward for change agents.’’
Harold Sonibare went further
to say that........‘’ she aggressively designated Perishable Agro-Cargo Terminals in Jos,
Yola, Asaba, Enugu, Akure, Makurdi and Lagos. The spread of these terminals
will continue to Akure, Bauchi, Ibadan,Jalingo, Kano and Owerri.
Stella Oduah is resolute in her resolve to transform the aviation sector in Nigeria. Notwithstanding the clogs on her path to achieving the highlighted agenda, Stella had bent-backwards and surpassed herself in driving the developmental initiatives which sap as much energy as brain. In the pipeline are schemes that would support the establishment of free trade and export processing zones at the four major airports in Nigeria namely Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Kano’’.
Stella Oduah is resolute in her resolve to transform the aviation sector in Nigeria. Notwithstanding the clogs on her path to achieving the highlighted agenda, Stella had bent-backwards and surpassed herself in driving the developmental initiatives which sap as much energy as brain. In the pipeline are schemes that would support the establishment of free trade and export processing zones at the four major airports in Nigeria namely Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Kano’’.
Let us agree that Madam ‘Untouchable’
Stella Oduah, the princess of aviation did all what Mr.Harold enumerated above, did that
now gave her the authority to spend public fund anyhow?
What we are saying
here is not the transformation of Aviation sector which is her priority in the
instance; but what we Nigerian are clamouring for are the corruption and embezzlements
perpetrated by this (dis)honourable Minister.
It was revealed
that the total budget approved by the National Assembly for NCAA’s vehicles
this year is N240m and this was meant for 25 vehicles, excluding
the two bulletproof cars. But the agency bought 54 vehicles for
N643.1m under “Leased Financing” entered into with the First
Bank Plc, excluding he controversial N255m bulletproof cars, after side-tracked the National Assembly to
seek the approval of the Ministry of Aviation to purchase the bulletproof cars
@ the cost of N70m each, which they later opted to pay N127.5m for each
car, totalling N255m for the two.This brought the “extra-budgetary” expenditure
of the NCAA on vehicles this year to N643.1m.
Moreover, the investigative
hearing conducted by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Aviation can be
describe as ‘Mago-Mago’ Committee or a ‘kangaroo Committee’ and it leaves a lot
of unasked and unanswered questions!
The
questions below could perhaps have helped throw more light on the controversy.
1. How could a financing deal to the tune of N643 million between a profit-driven bank and a government agency be “mere understanding and not an obligation” as the minister claimed, requiring any party to walk off at any time, when the bank had already provided funding. More so since First Bank in its earlier presentation had insisted the financing was a loan.
2. The minister said the repayment by NCAA to First Bank stretches through three years under the Medium Term Expenditure Framework; and the obligation for 2013 is N100 million, with N16 million carried forward( since monthly repayment is N23 million). At the purported N100 million for this year, the minister insisted she was within her right approving the contract without recourse to FEC.
But total servicing for three years amounts to N828 million. Given that 2013 has only taken care of N100 million, how will the balance N728 million car spending be addressed in two years? Will that not amount to forcing the National Assembly, for instance, to appropriate an average of N364 million yearly, for a car project that should go before the FEC, but which had already been approved by the minister?
3. And since the National Assembly appropriated N240 million for cars this year, no lawmaker asked the minister whether the NCAA will return the balance of N140 million since it will spend only N100 million for 2013.
4. Given that the NCAA had earlier advanced some of the arguments by the minister (except the “do the needful” argument), why did the House committee reject that same claim only to agree with the minister.
5. Why was the minister’s rebuttal about her name not being on the documents for the car not challenged since that claim only compares to expecting a receipt or invoice when a bribe is paid.
6. Why did the Reps ignore the claim by the minister that luxury armoured cars could be categorized under “security and safety vehicles” listed in the budget for use as inspection cars, for monitoring perimeter fence.
7. Why should the minister refuse to take responsibility of a breach in her ministry when she is the head?
8. Why did the minister fail to compel the NCAA to advertise the procurement of the cars as required by the Public Procurement Act? Why was it necessary to do selective tendering in that case?
9. The NCAA head, Fola Akinkuotu, clearly said the cars were for the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries. So, why did the minister tried to say she had nothing to do with the cars?
10. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confessed buying two armoured cars to the minister. Why does Mrs Oduah has a fetish for armoured cars?
1. How could a financing deal to the tune of N643 million between a profit-driven bank and a government agency be “mere understanding and not an obligation” as the minister claimed, requiring any party to walk off at any time, when the bank had already provided funding. More so since First Bank in its earlier presentation had insisted the financing was a loan.
2. The minister said the repayment by NCAA to First Bank stretches through three years under the Medium Term Expenditure Framework; and the obligation for 2013 is N100 million, with N16 million carried forward( since monthly repayment is N23 million). At the purported N100 million for this year, the minister insisted she was within her right approving the contract without recourse to FEC.
But total servicing for three years amounts to N828 million. Given that 2013 has only taken care of N100 million, how will the balance N728 million car spending be addressed in two years? Will that not amount to forcing the National Assembly, for instance, to appropriate an average of N364 million yearly, for a car project that should go before the FEC, but which had already been approved by the minister?
3. And since the National Assembly appropriated N240 million for cars this year, no lawmaker asked the minister whether the NCAA will return the balance of N140 million since it will spend only N100 million for 2013.
4. Given that the NCAA had earlier advanced some of the arguments by the minister (except the “do the needful” argument), why did the House committee reject that same claim only to agree with the minister.
5. Why was the minister’s rebuttal about her name not being on the documents for the car not challenged since that claim only compares to expecting a receipt or invoice when a bribe is paid.
6. Why did the Reps ignore the claim by the minister that luxury armoured cars could be categorized under “security and safety vehicles” listed in the budget for use as inspection cars, for monitoring perimeter fence.
7. Why should the minister refuse to take responsibility of a breach in her ministry when she is the head?
8. Why did the minister fail to compel the NCAA to advertise the procurement of the cars as required by the Public Procurement Act? Why was it necessary to do selective tendering in that case?
9. The NCAA head, Fola Akinkuotu, clearly said the cars were for the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries. So, why did the minister tried to say she had nothing to do with the cars?
10. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confessed buying two armoured cars to the minister. Why does Mrs Oduah has a fetish for armoured cars?
In my candid opinion, Stella
Oduah, must be relieved of her job in order to give sanity to this industry.
This
lady is just a business-woman who lacks technical know-how about the aviation sector,
and no amount of public relations that can boost her rating in the mind of us
Nigerian.
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