Oshiomhole’s plane grounded: Barely two months after the aircraft of Rivers State government was grounded by the aviation authorities, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, suffered the same fate yesterday, as a chopper meant to fly him to Awka, Anambra State, was stopped from taking off. Saturday Sun gathered that the governor was on his way to the burial ceremony of Senator Ben Obi’s wife, when his chopper, which had taken off from Government House, was directed by the Nigeria Airspace Management agency (NAMA) to fly to the Benin Airport, first, for clearance. It was further gathered that on getting to the airport, the pilot, Captain James Manahash, a Philipino, was told that the chopper, OAS Helicopters, would not be granted clearance to fly. While the drama was playing out, Oshiomhole sat in the chopper for more than one hour. When it was obvious that the chopper will not be allowed to fly, he aborted the trip. He had disembarked from the plane and dashed into his official car, from where he headed to his hometown, Iyamoh, in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. An angry Oshiomhole, however, declined comments when journalists approached him. Reacting to this, Special Adviser (Media) to the governor, Prince Kassim Afegbua, accused the Presidency of trying to visit Oshiomhole with treatment meted to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. According to him, the governor’s ordeal might not be unconnected with the ongoing onslaught against governors, who are perceived to have played a role in the re-election of Amaechi as chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). He said: “I think the government of the day is contending with too many crisis and it is disturbing that governors are no longer recognised, respected in the scheme of things, even when it is known that they were duly elected by the people. “How else do you explain the role of NAMA clerk who grounded a governor’s aircraft and prevented him from keeping his appointment in Anambra, because he is acting out a script that has become the rule of engagement by a dictatorial regime. We remain unprovoked because we are civilised people.” Speaking on the incident, the Benin Airspace Acting Manager, who gave his name as Mr. Okolie, said: “I don’t have anything for you. If anyone said his aircraft was grounded by us, ask him why.” Speaking to newsmen, the chopper pilot, Capt. Manahash said: “I was surprised that I was recalled after taking off from Government House because I had communicated with the control tower on radio. “We were already airborne when we got the call to return to the airport, even with a threat that failure to do so would lead to complete grounding of the aircraft. The governor prevailed on me to return and listen to them. “When we got back to the airport, I was told to pay landing and aerodrome fees, which, ordinarily, we could pay later because we were already airborne. “Even after completion of the process of payment within 10 minutes, we were still delayed for one hour 15 minutes, with the governor still seated and thereafter, left in anger. “I am surprised by this development because this is not the first time I would be coming to Benin to fly the governor. I was even threatened, after payment, that the aircraft would be grounded completely if I argue with them. I have flown for 35 years, seven of which I spent in Nigeria and this is the first time I am encountering a situation like this. I did not know what problem they have with the governor.” On his part, Managing Director of OAs Helicopter, Captain Everest Nnaji, expressed anger over the development, saying that he was still calling on those concerned to find out why they were holding his pilot, adding:” I am very angry at the development.”
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 14:57:18 +0000
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