painful farewell to her controversial job -should the House
of Representatives Committee on Aviation have it way.
It is to recommend today that President Goodluck Jonathan
should sack Ms Oduah, for exceeding the official limit in
approving the purchase of two bulletproof vehicles by the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) at N255million.
The committee may have recommended also sanctions for the
former acting Director General (DG) of NCAA, Nkemakolam
Joyce, and the agency's Director of Finance, Salawu N. Ozigi -
in line with the Civil Service Rules.
The panel is to seek the immediate termination of a loan
agreement of N643, 088,250.00 to finance the purchase of 54
vehicles (including the armoured vehicles) between the NCAA
and the First Bank of Nigeria.
Coscharis Motors Limited is to be asked to refund the
N255million meant for the bulletproof vehicles. Besides, the
panel will recommend that the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) should investigate the company for
alleged abuse of waivers.
These key five recommendations are some of the major
highlights in the report of the committee, which will be tabled
today before the House of Representatives.
The report will then be debated and put to vote before the
House takes a stand on the matter, which has generated so
much heat in the polity.
According to sources, after a prolonged debate on Oduah's fate,
the panel agreed that the minister allegedly violated the 2013
Appropriation Act and the Public Procurement Act because due
process was not followed in approving the purchase of the
armoured vehicles.
The committee recommended to the House to ask "President
Goodluck Jonathan to review the continued engagement of
Stella Oduah as the Minister of Aviation, having contravened
the 2013 Appropriation Act by overshooting her threshold of
N100million and for violating the Public Procurement Act."
The report said: "The committee recommends sanctions for the
acting DG of NCAA, Nkemakolam Joyce and the agency's
Director of Finance, Salawu N. Ozigi, in accordance with civil
service rules for circumventing the Public Procurement Act."
On Coscharis Motors Limited, the committee directed that the
auto firm should "refund the N255million paid to it for the
bulletproof vehicles through a loan agreement with immediate
effect".
"The armoured cars are also to be returned to Coscharis Motors
Limited.
"The N643, 088,250.00 loan agreement with the First Bank of
Nigeria by the NCAA to finance the purchase of 54 vehicles
should also be terminated forthwith because it is not in the
interest of the country.
"The EFCC is also advised to further investigate Coscharis
Motors Limited for abuse of the waiver process and the
discrepancies in the chassis numbers of some of the BMW
vehicles."
Speaking with our correspondent last night, a member of the
panel said: "As a matter of fact, there was nowhere in papers to
show that the vehicles were bought in the name of the minister.
"But in terms of approval, the minister was found guilty,
having gone beyond her threshold of N100million. Due process
was also not followed in the purchase of the vehicles by the
NCAA."
On the next step, another source said: "It is left to the House to
accept or reject our recommendations.
"It was not easy arriving at these recommendations because of
vested interests and pressure, but most members of the
committee put the nation ahead of personal matters. The
committee members had to reconsider the wording of
recommendations on the minister."
First Bank Plc was given a clean bill of health in respect of the
transactions.
The July 30, 2013 agreement between NCAA and First Bank
of Nigeria reads in part: "The borrower (NCAA) has applied to
the bank for a Term Loan Facility (herein referred to as "the
facility") in the sum of N643, 088,250.00 to finance the
purchase of 54 vehicles for Management Staff of NCAA on
Grade level 15 and above.
"The bank has agreed in the usual banking terms to extend to
the borrower the said facility on terms and conditions herein
contained in this Loan Agreement and in the Letter of Offer
which terms are hereby incorporated into this agreement.
"The parties hereto have agreed to secure the facility, including
interest and other charges.
"The facility shall be for a period of 36 months without
moratorium. Subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter
contained, the Borrower shall repay the facility hereunder in 36
monthly installments as contained in the Letter of Offer.
"The borrower shall until the repayment of facility to the Bank
pay interest on the balance outstanding and on all monies
whatsoever at any time owing to the bank at the rate of 18 %
per annum(all inclusive) or such other rates in line with
changing market conditions as may be advised.
"The borrower hereby covenants with the bank that so long as
any part of the facility or interest or other moneys hereby
covenanted to be paid remains outstanding, the borrower shall:
• furnish annually to the Bank not more than 120 days after the
end of the period in respect of which they have been made up
Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Accounts showing the true
position of the Borrower's affairs such Balance Sheet and
Accounts being certified by the Auditors …"
"The borrower will also from time to time supply to the bank
such other information as the bank shall reasonably require in
respect of the assets and liabilities of the business operation
and administration of the Borrower and shall permit and enable
the bank's representative to inspect the borrower's properties
and operations including all relevant records and documents
after giving reasonable notice; and costs of such inspection and
the out of pocket expenses incurred by the bank's representative
aforesaid during such inspection being payable on demand by
the Borrower provided that such costs are fair and reasonable."
Via: The Nation
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