Refund N4bn to federal treasury – Reps tell private airlines

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives has directed that all private airlines that received 4 billion naira COVID-19 relief funds designated to support the aviation sector to refund the allocated funds to the federal government treasury, if they fail to give justifiable evidence of how the money was judiciously spent in seven days.

The Committee being chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam (Osun-PDP) gave the directive at the resumed investigative hearing on the alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 intervention funds by the Ministries Departments and Agencies MDAs of the Federal Government and others who benefited from the funds.

The Committee lamented that despite appearing before it, several of the airlines and industry stakeholders, including Aero Contractors, Azman, Newrest, and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the allocation and expenditure of the funds.

The committee emphasized the need for accountability and transparency in the utilization of public funds.

On its part, Azman Airlines represented by its Marketing Manager, Odum Chizoba Uju admitted receiving N367,935,779.95, purportedly allocated for various operational expenses including aircraft maintenance; spare parts, fueling, Forex purchasing, and insurance premium paid while the Station Manager of Aero Contractor, Mr. Abdulmalik Musa said the company received N217,345,542.05 from the federal government for the Covid-19 intervention fund.

The representative of the Aero Contractor Airline explained that the fund was used for Airport handling and facility payment, fueling payment, Onboard catering payment, pilot training payments, and lease rental payments.

However in a Sharp reaction to the submissions on how they utilised the funds , a member of the Committee and former pilot with the Nigeria Airforce, Hon. Ojuawo Adeniyi from Ekiti state faulted the submissions, saying that the services claimed by the operators were applicable only during the regular operations of airlines.

Following this development a motion was moved by a member, Hon. Akiba Bassey that the amount involved should be refunded to the Federation account should they failed to give justifiable evidence before the Committee on the expenditure which was unanimously supported by members.

Tinubu Appoints Chioma Awuzie Substantive Rector, Fed Poly Oko

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie as the substantive Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State. Dr. Awuzie's appointment, which takes effect immediately for a five-year term, follows the recommendation of the Polytechnic's Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Dr. Barnabas Gemade, after a transparent and competitive selection process where she emerged as the leading candidate. Prior to her appointment, Awuzie, who holds a Doctorate Degree in Physical and Materials Chemistry, was a distinguished Chief Lecturer in the Department of Science Laboratory Technology (Chemistry Option) and also Director in-charge of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Projects in the Polytechnic. Under her stewardship, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, witnessed unprecedented advancements in infrastructure and institutional transformation. Her leadership facilitated monumental developments across the Polytechnic’s campuses in Oko, ...

#Watchvideo : SECURITY FORCES BURST THE CAMP OF UNKNOWN GUNMEN IN AKOKWA

Security Forces in the state through a coordinated intelligence report has bursted the camp of the unknown gunmen at Akokwa, Arondizuogu after a long gun duel which resulted to the death of some of the criminals and others arrested. These criminal elements have been known to be behind several attacks in the state such as the killing of police men in Mbaise, Aba Branch in Ehime Mbano, burning down of police stations, attack and attempted kidnapping of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, abduction of Miss. P.P. Johnson, a female soldier in Okigwe and recently the attack in Akokwa that left many dead. It is obvious that these daredevil gunmen have been perpetuating their evil plans unabated until yesterday when their camp was bursted by security agencies. This is another assurance that our security operatives are leaving no stone unturned in the fight against banditry and other related activities. While it has become obvious that the activities of these non state actors are politically motivate...

BREAKING: 2Baba Shot Dead In Rivers State

A notorious cult leader and the prime suspect in the brutal murder of the late Divisional Police Officer, SP Bako Angbashim, in the state, Gift Okpara, popularly referred to as 2Baba, has been reportedly killed in a police-led major security raid. The police and other security agencies were said to have conducted land and aerial raids at the identical hideout of the Iceland cult leader and his gang at Idu-Ekpeye in Ahoada East local government area of Rivers on Saturday, February 17. According to The Nation , the Iceland cult leader was reportedly feared dead after the operation. Recall that in September 2023, the late DPO was ambushed and captured by the cult group led by 2Baba in the Odiemudie community, Ahoada East LGA. 2Baba and his gang then took the DPO to the forest, where they killed him and dismembered his body. The cultists then filmed him. Another source, Obi, said he saw no less than 15 vehicles and an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) during th...

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