Bullet Proof Cars: House Wants Minister Sacked

Lawmakers after me, Minister alleges BEVERLY HILLS, CA, December 19, (THEWILL) -  The House of Representatives Thursday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to consider relieving the Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah, of her job for contravening the 2013 Appropriation Act . This decision came about following the approval of the recommendations of the report of the House Committee on Aviation led by Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, which investigated the alleged purchase of two armoured cars by the minister. The report indicted the minister in the process of the procurement of the two BMW armoured cars valued at N255 million. It said the procurement was neither provided for in the Appropriation Act of 2013, nor was there due process followed. While considering the report, the House 'urged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to review the continued engagement of the Hon. Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, for having contravened the Appropriation Act 2013 and the approved revised thresholds by exceeding the Ministry of Aviation's approval limit of N100m by the purchase of the 54 vehicles valued at N643m' On the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the House urged the agency to terminate with immediate effect all transactions and loan agreement with First Bank of Nig. Plc. The House further recommended that the former NCAA Acting Director-General, Mr. Nkemakolam Joyce, and the Director of Finance, Mr. S. Ozigi, should be sanctioned in accordance with the Civil Service rules for breaching the Appropriation Act, 2013. The lawmakers also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other ant-corruption agencies to further investigate the discrepancies in the chassis number DW68032 of the vehicles. It recommended the investigation of Coscharis Nigeria Limited on the issue of waiver, source and exact cost of the two BMW cars supplied to the NCAA. According to the report, Oduah also contravened the Appropriation Act by exceeding the ministry's approval limit of N100 million by the purchase of 54 vehicles at N643 million. The report directed the Ministry of Finance to recover all monies spent on the entire transactions and pay same into the Federation Account. However in her reaction, the Minister accused the House of nursing a hidden agenda, insisting that due process was adhered to in the purchase of the vehicles. A statement issued by her special assistant on media, Mr. Joe Obi, said ' we recall vividly the underhand tactics of the House when, 24 long hours before the report of the investigation was due to be laid before the plenary, certified true copies were handed over to online and traditional media. The motive of those who handed the document to unauthorised persons has fully manifested in the adoption of the recommendations that have no reflection to the public hearing conducted in the full glare of Nigerians and the media.' By Saint Mugaga, Abuja