Aviation minister’s armoured cars: Who’s fooling whom? As if it is not bad enough that Federal Ministers wallow in insane and obscene luxury at the expense and to the detriment of the needs of the millions of Nigerians they are supposed to be ministering to, it is utterly unacceptable that once they are accused of some misdemeanor, they deploy their aides, media assistants and others to put out gratuitous defence of patently bad behavior. I have in mind the ongoing brouhaha over the recent purchase of two armoured BMW 760 cars for the office of the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah and two separate explanations that have been given to justify the mindless ostentation in the midst of grinding poverty and youth unemployment in the land. But then, whoever says that anybody is in government because of the mass of the people? The name of the game here is corruption and obscene wealth accumulation, not governance. To be candid, I have no grouse with the purchase of exotic, top- of-the-line cars for the comfort, convenience and safety of Ms. Oduah, but rather with the insults proffered by her Special Assistant, Joe Obi and the other by the Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Administration (NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu. The NCAA is the parastatal under her ministry that purchased the vehicles. I rather think Ms. Oduah ought to be commended for her fine taste in automobiles! BMWs are not by any stretch of the imagination ordinary automobiles, going for the top-of- the-line models, and armoured ones too, shows class. So, I commend the minister for her excellent taste. If you are wondering why I am not joining the mass hysteria calling for her probe, sack or both, it is because the minister has not, in my candid opinion, done anything wrong or unheard of in this country. Government is all about ostentation, that’s the way it is here. Or how else will anyone justify for me the existence of about 10 aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet and scores of exotic automobiles in the presidential ground fleet in a country where the quality of life for most Nigerians is fast diminishing on a daily basis? Is Nigeria the United States of America? Even there, the President has one aircraft, Air Force One, and Marine One, a helicopter, not a fleet of several planes. What in the world are we doing with so many, if not for ostentation and to feed the sybaritic lifestyles of our rulers? By the way, has anybody checked the ground fleets of state governors? And what about those of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives? Why should honourable Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria be any less than or differently from state governors? Again, it is the explanation or justification rendered that is of interest to me. It is hard not to get exasperated when senior officials of the Federal Government address press conferences or make press releases. They behave as if answering questions posed by Nigerians is such a bother to them. They not only treat us with such extreme arrogance and condescension reserved only for irritants but it is characteristic of them to think that they do not owe us any explanations. And so whenever they condescend to offer any at all, it must be regarded and treated as an uncommon favour for which we all must express gratitude. And whenever we question them for more explanations, they come out firing back at us from all cylinders with insults and more arrogance at what they regard as our demonstration of insolence. This is what has happened in the recent case of the two armoured cars bought at the mouth- watering sum of N255 million. Since the story was blown open by SaharaReporters, an online publication, all hell has been let loose, with accusations and counter accusations, as well as insults passing as explanations. Let me address just two of the official explanations on the issue. Joe Obi, Aviation Minister’s Special Assistant, justified the purchase thus: “The vehicles were purchased to protect the minister from some external threats” and in response to “the clear and imminent threat to her personal security and life following the bold steps she took to reposition the sector.” I dey laugh o! In his own explanation, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, DG of NCAA asserted that “The cars are operational vehicles used in the varied operations of the NCAA. Transporting the minister and aviation-related foreign dignitaries is part of this operation.” He compounded the gratuitous insult by adding “It is internationally customary to convey our minister and these visiting foreign dignitaries in security vehicles whenever they are in Nigeria.” One of these guys isn’t telling the truth. I pity the DG, an apparently good guy sent to defend bad behavior. He also has his own cushy job to defend as well. Ok, so if those exotic cars are necessary for the safety of our minister and her visiting international civil aviation dignitaries, how does Akinkuotu respond the Dino Melaye allegation that those cars are over-priced? Is there something of contractual plunder here as well? Can we have previous Aviation Ministers confirm if the use of armoured cars to convey ministers and foreign dignitaries is an international practice? If so, whatever happened to such armoured “operational vehicles” used before the current purchase? Under
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 07:57:50 +0000