Abdul-Rahman Abubakar
1 July 2008
Abuja — Agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday swooped at the National Assembly Complex and arrested two former ministers of aviation in the last administration, Prof. Babalola Borishade and Chief Femi Fani-Kayode over alleged misapplication of the N19.5 billion aviation intervention fund.
A source at the anti-graft commission told Daily Trust last night that its chairman Mrs Farida Waziri ordered the two men's detention and they were made to write statements.
The EFCC men had waited for the former ministers at the venue of the investigative hearing being conducted by the Senate Aviation Committee, and apprehended them shortly after the session ended.
Prof. Borishade was bundled into a Hiace Bus with plate number AU 329 YAB, but Chief Fani-Kayode refused to board the same bus, opting instead to follow them in his Rover Jeep with registration number JH 820 AAA. Daily Trust gathered that the arrest of the two former ministers was in connection with the N6.5 billion Safe Tower Project awarded to Avsatel GMB of Vienna, Austria which was said to have been inflated by N5.5 billion.
"The Whiteman that is Managing Director of Avsatel, Mr. George Eder, who was arrested last week, has made some important revelations to the EFCC. That is why both ministers were arrested to provide further explanation on the controversy surrounding the Safe Tower Project," a source close to the Senate Aviation Committee said. In their earlier submissions while testifying before the Senate panel, the former ministers disagreed on the source as well as the spending of the N19.5 billion Aviation Intervention Fund. According to Prof. Borishade, the said fund was only N13 billion, not N19.5 billion. He said, "In fact this committee should be called N13 billion investigation committee, not N19.5 billion as it is being called."
He also said, "What was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as aviation fund is N13 billion. The N6.5 billion is a loan which is to be paid back by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) once the N13 billion is released."
Borishade denied making any withdrawals from the fund during his time as minister of aviation, saying, "When I left in November 2006, the contracts had been awarded but no withdrawals were made." But his successor in office Chief Femi Fani-Kayode contradicted him, saying Borishade had made the payments for the Safe Tower Contract by the time he himself took over.
He said Borishade spent a substantial part of the fund, adding, "I cannot be held responsible for the N8.4 billion that was spent before I came in or for what happened to or what was spent out of the approximately N7.2 billion that I left behind. I can only be held responsible and accountable for the approximately N3.8 billion intervention fund and 11.5 billion Rivers State Government Soft Loan that I administered."
Fani-Kayode further stated that, "When I got in, I was a little bit concerned because of the huge amount of money that had been spent, particularly on the Safe Tower Project. It was clear to me that the contractor did not appear to have delivered the goods considering the amount of money he had already been paid, which is N6.4 billion."
The former minister said his predecessor erred when he sourced for the N6.5 billion Safe Tower Project Fund from Zenith Bank against FEC directive to fund the project from a loan from the Three Percent Natural Resources Development Fund. Fani-Kayode said sourcing the loan from Zenith Bank with high interest rate brought a huge financial burden on FAAN and NAMA and is threatening to cripple both agencies. He said, "I have a copy of FEC approval here, the contract was supposed to be funded from the Natural Resources Development Fund and to be paid back in five years." Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Anyim Ude (PDP, Ebonyi South) told the two former ministers that, "I think we are satisfied that the Safe Tower Project was inflated. What we are trying to find now are those Nigerians who connived with the Whiteman to steal Nigeria's money." It was also revealed at the hearing that Prof. Borishade gave ministerial approval for the award of N506 million contracts for consultancy on perimeter fencing of the country's four major airports. The former minister denied approving the spending of such amount on consultancy for fencing, but he was contradicted by both Fani-Kayode and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, who said it was Borishade that gave the approval. Committee chairman Senator Ude then said, "You mean N506 million was paid as consu-ltancy fee for perimeter fencing? I don't think we need a consultant to do fencing of our airports."
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Well, this is big challenge for Madam Chairman of EFCC and we hope this will not end up in another wasteful open ended probe that amounts to nothing but only to pacify the agency.
It is a shame that well placed Nigerians are in cohort with some trashy foreigners to turn Nigeria into a Sanctuary for stealing and stashing away. I have come to the conclusion that Nigerians especially those in responsible positions from the President to the Chairman of the local governments do not believe that Nigeria will survive as a nation. It is not a matter of If but When before Nigeria disintegrates. It is against this background that that when people get the slightest chance they dip deep into the oil money to grab and stash away waiting for the D-day. Nigeria is a blessed nation and the good Lord has provided us more than we can ask for but look at how we are messing up.
No wonder blacks are on the bottom of the ladder world over because every race would see Africans as weak, senseless and emotional group who would even sell and brutalize their people for materials gains.