Kelvin Bowoto
The directive was issued over the weekend by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the lower chamber, chaired by Bamidele Salam, during the resumed investigative hearing on the alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 intervention funds by federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and others who benefited from the funding.
The committee ruled that all private airlines that received COVID-19 relief funds meant to support the aviation sector must return the funds to the federal government treasury within a week if they fail to provide justifiable evidence of how the money was used.
The committee was disappointed that, despite appearing before it, several airlines and industry stakeholders, including Aero Contractors, Azman, Newrest, and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, were unable to provide satisfactory explanations for the allocation and expenditure of the funds.
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Azman Airlines, represented by its marketing manager Odum Chizoba Uju, confessed to receiving N367.9 million, reportedly allotted for different operational expenses including aircraft maintenance, spare parts, fueling, Forex purchases, and insurance premium payments.
Also, Aero Contractor’s station manager, Abdulmalik Musa, confirmed that the company received N217.3 million from the federal government for the COVID-19 intervention money.
However, in a sharp reaction to the submissions on how the airlines used the funds, a member of the Committee and former pilot with the Nigeria Air Force, Hon. Ojuawo Adeniyi from Ekiti State, faulted the submissions, claiming that the services claimed by the operators were only applicable during the airlines’ regular operations.
As a result, a member, Akiba Bassey, moved a motion that the cash involved be refunded to the Federation account if the airlines failed to provide justified proof before the Committee on the expenditure, which was overwhelmingly approved by members.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
