Sahara Reporters
claims to have obtained documents further exposing the depth of corruption and
mismanagement of public funds at Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation headed
by Stella Oduah.
One
of the documents details how Ms. Oduah compelled the cash-strapped
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two armored BMW
cars for the minister. NCAA is the agency charged with ensuring the
airworthiness of commercial planes flying within Nigeria’s airspace. Two
officials of the agency told Reporters that the NCAA did not have
enough funds to upgrade equipment, send staff for critical training, and
hire enough qualified staff. “Yet, all the minister is concerned about
is to have two exotic BMW cars from the little money we have for
operations,” one of the sources said.
The documents obtained by
SaharaReporters indicate that the transaction for the purchase of the
two BMW vehicles started in June 2013. However, the request for delivery
of and payment for the two vehicles was fast-tracked between August 13
and 15 2013. The transaction involved the NCAA, First Bank of Nigeria,
and Coscharis Motors Limited.
The two cars were delivered to the NCAA
on August 13, 2013, where it was received by two store managers, F.
Onoabhagbe and Y.A. Amzat (who is also the agency’s head of transport).
On August 15, 2013, Sola Ogunsakin of the NCAA signed off to certify
completion of the transaction.In an extensive investigation of
the Aviation sector after three air mishaps in Nigeria’s airspace,
Reporters found a pattern of questionable expenditures authorized by the
minister. Several insiders within the aviation industry have told
Reporters that Ms. Oduah and President Goodluck Jonathan had focused on
the Aviation Ministry as a source for a series of corrupt activities.
“Under
Mrs. Oduah, the ministry has carried out many big capital development
projects. But what outsiders don’t know is that these projects are being
used to divert big amounts into private pockets,” an aviation source
said.
They also disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) had investigated several corrupt practices in the
aviation sector, but added that the anti-corruption agency never had the
backbone to act on their findings due to political pressure from the
Presidency.
Several sources at the agency told SaharaReporters
that they were not aware of the whereabouts of the two BMW cars. Some of
the sources stated that the cars were handed to the minister who had
converted them to private use.
Several interest groups have been
demanding the removal of Ms. Oduah, citing her corrupt tendencies,
mismanagement of aviation funds and incompetence. Under her watch, the
Nigerian airspace has witnessed several air mishaps that claimed the
lives of at least 140 people.
A Presidency source told Reporters
that Ms. Oduah still retains the confidence of President Jonathan. She
is a close associate of Mr. Jonathan, serving as the treasurer who
handled funds for the Jonathan campaign during the 2011 presidential
election. She also co-chaired the campaign group known as
Neighbor-To-Neighbor.
If this is true then I no fit shout, quite disturbing. What do we do?
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