No aviation money is missing - Fani-Kayode

05.02.2008

THE immediate past Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has denied the rumour going round in the aviation sector that the intervention fund aimed at saving the industry was missing as reported by the Nigerian Tribune on Monday.

The story indicated that the Senate Committee on Aviation would soon quiz a former aviation minister and some past chief executives of some aviation parastatals in its investigations of the alleged missing money.

Fani-Kayode, in a swift reaction, said in Abuja that all the N11 billion that was released to him “was properly applied, well accounted for, properly documented and not a kobo of it is missing.”

The statement, issued and signed by his Media Assistant, Mr. Bayo Oladeji, read in part: “We read your story claiming that N17.5 billion went missing from the aviation intervention fund while Chief Fani-Kayode was Minister of Aviation. To say the least, that is a ridiculous suggestion and most damaging to the former minister’s hard-earned reputation.

“It is true that a total of N19.5 billion was released to the Ministry of Aviation by the previous administration, but N8.5 billion of that was spent even before Chief Fani-Kayode was redeployed to the ministry.

“It was only the balance of N11 billion that was released to Chief Fani-Kayode and we wish to assure you that every single kobo of that N11 billion that was released to and administered by Chief Fani-Kayode was properly applied, well accounted for, properly docummented and not a kobo of it is missing.

“All contracts that were awarded by the former minister were done with Federal Execuitive Council approval and in accordance with the due process and some of those projects, including the Port-Harcourt runway, have now been completed.

“As at the time Chief Fani-Kayode left the Ministry of Aviation just under N5 billion out of the N11billion that he was asked to administer was still left in the intervention fund account.

“It is absolutely ridiculous and most irresponsible for your reporter or anyone else to suggest that any money went missing under Chief Fani-Kayode’s watch and the records are there to disprove this disgraceful attempt to slur his name.

“As regards the Senate Aviation Committee’s perusal of the full N19.5 billion of the fund, this is a welcome development and a laudable function of democracy.

“As a matter of fact, it is long overdue. The records are there for them to see and Chief Fani-Kayode is ready to assist them in any way that he can.

“However, let it be on record that up until now, Chief Fani-Kayode has not been invited by the Senate committee either formally or informally and neither has anyone in the aviation ministry or indeed anywhere else asked him any qustion or asked for any clarification on the intervention fund. If and when he is asked to come and assist the Senate Committee on Aviation or anyone else to help them in thier enquiries, he is more than ready and would be delighted to do so.

“It is a pity that despite the fact that when Chief Fani-Kayode was redeployed to the Ministry of Aviation and suddenly by the dint of sheer hardwork, focus, discipline, prayer and the grace of God the incessant and frightful plane crashes of the previous year which had plagued the nation and brought so much sorrow were happily brought to an abrupt end, your reporter deems it fit to do nothing but entertain and perpetuate perfidy and falsehood by making baseless and shameful allegation against the former Minister.”

According to the documment made available to us, the intervention fund administered by Chief Fani-Kayode amounted to N11 billion was used for the infrastructure at four international airports at Lagos, Kano, Port-Harcourt and Abuja.

But the whole contracts had not been paid for before leaving the office last May. The remaining N4.8 billion are still in the accounts of Zenith and UBA.

Among the projects that the N11billion was used for included but not limited to the following; extenssion and asphalt resurfacing of runway of Lagos Airport, cargo apron expansion at Lagos Airport, upgrading of the airfield lighting system to CAT 111 standards PHC Airport, installation of CCTV at Kano Airport, completion of domestic terminal building at Kano Airport, rehabilitation of military runway PHC, rehabilitation of PHC Airport and a host of others.