How aviation intervention fund was spent - Fani-Kayode

31.03.2008

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has described as a welcome development, the decision by the Senate Committee on Aviation to probe how the N19.5 billion intervention fund was spent.

He, however, condemned the conversion of the grant to loan by the Finance Ministry and the consequent withdrawal of N11 billion from the Aviation Ministry’s account in the 2007 budget.

Fani-Kayode, who spoke with journalists on Sunday on his arrival from the United States of America (USA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, said the probe of the fund and the entire aviation industry was long overdue in the interest of the public.

“The Nigerian people have the right to know, not just the N6 billion that I spent, but the N8.5 billion that was spent before I came in and the amount spent after I left office. I am sure that my predecessor in office (Professor Babalola Borisade) also has nothing to fear as far as I know. And even my successor (Felix Hassan Hyat) will also have nothing to fear,” he said.

He said the three of them administered the fund. The former minister said he was prepared to tell Nigerians what he did with the N6 billion he administered as well as the due process certificates for them.

Fani-Kayode said he left N4.8 billion in the intervention fund account, adding that he did all he could to ensure the safety and security of the Nigerian flying public and that was why there were no plane crashes during his tenure.