Imo Residents Stage Protest In Support Of Aviation Minister

Some residents of Owerri, the Imo state capital today took to the streets to protest what they described as an unfair judgement on the issue of the purchase of two armoured vehicles by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

While dismissing the allegation of corruption against the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, they insisted that the Minister should be appreciated for what she has done in the industry.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah defended the purchase of two armoured vehicles by the NCAA after the President queried the purchase of the vehicles.

She insisted that the procurement of the two armoured BMW cars at the cost of N255 million followed due process.

According to the minister, provision was made in the 2013 budget for the procurement of the vehicles along with other specialised equipment, to complement or replace obsolete ones.

Part of Ms. Oduah’s response, says “towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory responsibilities, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over 400 airstrips.”

In addition to querying the minister, the presidency also set up a three-man administrative panel to investigate the purchase of the armoured cars.

The panel was given two weeks to submit its findings.

With the minister’s reaction, a lot may be uncovered, as already the House of Representatives has also mandated its committee on aviation to investigate the controversy surrounding the purchase of the vehicles by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which are said to be for the Minister, as members of the committee of aviation said the committee had not approved that expenditure in the agency’s budget.

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu also reacted to media reports on the circumstances surrounding the procurement of two BMW 760 LI armoured series cars by the agency after the purchase began generating so many reactions from groups and Nigerians alike.

The NCAA D.G. stated that the cars are operational vehicles used in the varied operations of the NCAA including transporting the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah and aviation-related foreign dignitaries.

He also said the purchase of the two cars which cost N255m followed due process and the NCAA remains focused on enforcing standards and promoting safety in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).