National Assembly to investigate underhand disbursement of N27bn aviation palliative
Nigeria’s legislative arm of government will investigate allegations of underhand disbursement of N27 billion Covid-19 palliative to airlines and other stakeholders in the industry.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Honourable Nnolim Nnaji, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday in reaction to complaints by some airline operators.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Aviation, granted N27 billion resuscitation fund to the aviation industry after the lockdown in the year 2020.
Reports indicate that only N5bn has been released by the Ministry of Aviation to a selected few, without clear information as to where, when, and how the remaining N22bn would be disbursed.
TW gathered that Aero Contractors, West Link, TAL Helicopters, and a few others are yet to receive their own share of the initial N5bn.
The Minister for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, claimed the remaining N22bn would be expended on aviation roadmap and national carrier.
But stakeholders in the industry have expressed dissatisfaction with the minister’s intentions, wondering the connection of a roadmap to the disbursement of fund clearly tagged “palliative” and why misappropriate the funds into a failed national carrier project?
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of West Link, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia lamented his inability to access the initial N5bn palliative.
According to him, “The whole thing is a mirage. I don’t know what is going on. I have not received it. My office submitted the necessary documents. Everything seems to be shrouded in secrecy. Nobody knows anything. I know the government has given us money and some people have not received it.
It is obvious the ministry just handpicked those they wanted. They don’t want to give. It appears that we are less in number that didn’t receive. It is obvious a few of us were targeted. Whatever reason, I don’t know. Nobody has called me why I have not received and when I will receive it.”
Another stakeholder who expressed frustration in his failed efforts to receive the palliative was Engr. Femi Adeniji, Chairman of Tropical Arctic Logistics (TAL) Helicopter Company.
He said: “I have tried, I have called the Federal Ministry of Aviation; I have four helicopters that I am operating. They asked us to send account numbers, which we did.
Even up to last Friday, I still called them to find out what is going on. Unfortunately, I was in the US when my company’s name was published as among those who will receive the palliative, but we have not gotten anything up until now.
Salaries are still being owed, employees are complaining. If they say they are going to give us, let them give us. They should not put it in the newspapers and nothing happens thereafter.”
In reaction, Honourable Nnaji said that the avalanche concerns raised by stakeholders regarding the matter were too weighty to be ignored.
According to him, the House Committee on Aviation has resolved to demand from the Ministry of Aviation the detailed disbursement of the intervention fund.
He explained that the essence is not to witch-hunt anybody but to clear every doubt over the disbursements. “We want to know the detailed disbursements, airline by airline, the parastatals under the ministry and other organizations”.
The chairman noted that the committee was quite aware of the challenges facing the industry due to the COVID19 impact and the genuine concerns expressed by the Honourable Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika on the need for Federal Government’s palliative to the industry.
However, some airline operators have complained that despite being asked to submit their details which they did, they have not received any favourable response from the ministry to date.
Hence, they alleged that the ministry was doing selective disbursements and that the exercise lacked transparency and urged the committee to investigate it.
Honourable Nnaji assured that though the House had already adjourned for the Easter holidays, the committee will cut short its break to look into the matter because of the critical role of aviation in the overall economy of the country.
