PRESS RELEASE
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has censured the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah over the purchase of two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m).
An online news medium, SaharaReporters, reported on Tuesday that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August. The report detailed how Ms. Oduah compelled the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two armored BMW cars for her.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran averred compromises the safety of Nigerians in order to satisfy her ostentatious lifestyle.
He said, “The chicken has now come home to roost. It is no longer surprising that the Minister could ascribe her incompetence to God. When she asked the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to get her bulletproof cars worth $1.6m (N255m) because of threats to her life, where did she expect them to get the money? She expected them to compromise standard of course! It is now clear that the frequent air accidents are products of corruption and incompetence in our aviation sector. This is the NCAA that does not have enough funds to upgrade its equipment, send its employees for critical training and hire enough qualified hands.
The truth remains that if Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority is doing a proper job and not collecting bribes to satisfy the ostentatious lifestyle of Ms. Stella Oduah, they would have been able to avert some of these accidents. With proper safety regulations in place, the frequency of air crashes can be drastically reduced. An agency that cannot upgrade the skill of the staff and lack modern equipments to work with cannot ensure safety in our airspace.”
The anti-corruption crusader however called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate the matter and prosecute anyone found to have abused his office.
Abimbola Adegoke
Media Officer, CACOL
17 October, 2013