Oduahgate: probe and punish all on October 24, 2013 at 4:00 am in Editorial THE Oduahgate scandal is another proof positive that the rot in government at all levels, not just aviation sector alone is indeed, hydra-headed. Coming on the heels of the recent Associated Airlines crash, which is the seventh in three years with almost 200 lives lost, it is a wake up call for a thorough re-examination of the processes of government with a view to restoring sanity in administration and allocation of scarce resources. For the aviation sector, this means engendering the safety, comfort and confidence of users of air transport services. Following the patriotic action of a whistleblower in the Ministry of Aviation simply called “Nicholas Edwards”, the nation was confronted with the shocking story of how the huge sum of N255 million (or US$1.6 million) was splashed on the purchase of two armoured luxury cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah. After initially denying the purchase, the NCAA and a ministerial aide as an afterthought, put up a lame justification for the purchase. They claimed it was meant to protect the Minister who had come under threats due to reforms she initiated in the aviation sector. We take the position that this is a mere alibi. If allowed to stand, it will signal reinforcing similar alibis by public officials with easy access to public funds to undertake spending sprees that add no value to their schedules, including purchase of armoured security vehicles. We believe that these officials are already over-protected to the detriment of ordinary Nigerians as officials enjoy full complements of security convoys with legions of selected, armed-to-the-teeth policemen on guard duty round the clock. This is partly the reason recurrent expenditure gobble as much as three-quarters of annual budgets of governments at federal, state and local levels, leaving only one quarter of capital votes for development. Apart from the wasteful spending it amounts to, the purchase of these vehicles at such preposterous prices has the baleful imprimatur of corrupt intentions all over it. In the first place, there are clear evidences that armoured luxury cars in the class of the vehicles bought for the Minister go for about N64 million, which is roughly half the price of each of the cars. A thorough investigation of this issue will reveal the extent of over-invoicing which, if established, will make all involved liable for prosecution for corruption. Secondly, signals from the House of Representatives indicate lack of budgetary approval for this purchase. Hon. Zakari Mohammed, spokesman of the House of Representatives who is also a member of the House Committee on Aviation, disclosed that when proposal for the purchase of armoured cars was presented by the Ministry during the budgeting process, it was thrown out outright. The officials later returned with a request for “operational vehicles”, which was approved only for them to go and purchase the armoured cars. It is gratifying that the National Assembly has waded into this matter, while the President has issued the Minister a query, in addition to an administrative panel of inquiry into the debacle. The House of Representatives has given its panel until Wednesday, October 30th 2013 to submit its findings. In the extant case, we must establish beyond reasonable doubts whether these purchases conform with the law recently passed by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) which regulates the standards for catering for Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in terms of salaries, emoluments, housing, vehicles and other matters. We should also establish the role, if any, of the Bureau of Public Procurement in the entire saga. Wherever it is established that this and other laws and regulations guiding proper conduct of office holders has been breached, all officials connected with infractions of the law must face the full weight of appropriate laws. This will serve as a deterrent to others and also help restrain public office holders to moderate their excessive tendencies to live way above the standards established by the rules of public service. We also condemn any act of witch hunting against “Nicholas Edwards”, the whistleblower. He performed patriotic service to the nation and deserves rewards and a service medal at a national honours awards by the President. We stand solidly behind “Nicholas Edwards” and will not accept his persecution in any form.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 05:43:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015