Daily Independent (Lagos)
Chesa Chesa
9 July 2009
Abuja — Only N3.5 billion out of the N19.5 billion aviation intervention fund raised by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to enhance Nigeria's air safety was left for use by the current administration, it was disclosed on Wednesday.
Aviation Minister, Babatunde Omotoba, disclosed this in Abuja when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
The minister also disclosed that President Umaru Yar'Adua has given approval for him to pay N1.5 billion out of the N3.5 billion in respect of some aviation contracts in Port Harcourt and Lagos airports.
Two former Aviation Ministers, Babalola Borisade and Femi Fani-Kayode, are currently undergoing trial for allegedly misappropriating the intervention funds.
Omotoba explained that Federal Government contributed N13 billion to the fund while the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) borrowed N6.5 billion from two commercial banks, Zenith and UBA.
All the same, the minister assured that Nigeria's total radar coverage will be completed by November this year at a total cost of 68 million euros.
He said FEC also approved a contract for the purchase of nine triple agents airport fire crash tenders directly from the manufacturers.
The contract is worth $7.45 million plus N163.46 million (total of N1.25 billion) and is meant for the FAAN. Ten other fire crash tenders are expected courtesy of the World Bank, one of which will however be deployed to the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.
Other projects in the aviation sector, as he announced, include a second runway for the Abuja airport and six weather radars across the country.
"The FEC approved that the General Risk Convention be signed and domesticated by Nigeria. It seeks adequate compensation for damages caused by aircraft to third parties.'
FEC also approved a contract of N3.96 billion for furnishing of the new headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja ahead of Nigeria's hosting of the African Union (AU) summit next year.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
