Jonathan Places Stella Oduah On "Suspension"

 

I guess this is what everyone has been waiting for, opening the news day and night just to see what actions will ne taken against this woman, well the president has done something. read up.      

 

Following startling revelations from the National Assembly probe in the Stella saga, President Goodluck Jonathan, it appears, has finally placed the embattled Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, on what is described as a "tactical suspension", pending the submission his probe panel report.

“Oduah will not be allowed to attend public functions that will have the President in attendance until the three-member committee set up to investigate the matter turns in its report.”A reliable Presidency source said Jonathan decided on the 'tactical suspension' hours before the signing of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Israel on Monday.

Recalled that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, George Ossi, told the House of Representatives Committee probing Stella Oduah that she led a Nigerian delegation to Israel to sign the BASA. But that did not happen as she was rendered a mere spectator.

It was the ‘suspension’ that made Jonathan to direct the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, to sign the agreement instead of Oduah on behalf of Nigeria.

In what seemed a corroboration of the “tactical suspension,” the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, insisted that Jonathan would not associate with or shield anybody found to be corrupt. He told Punch that Stella Oduah is not even part of Jonathan's delegates.

“Did you see them (Jonathan and the minister) together in Israel? The President will not associate or shield anybody found to be corrupt,” Gulak said.

Meanwhile, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party said on Tuesday that it was worried by the bulletproof car scandal. Surprisingly, PDP assured Nigerians that whoever was found culpable would face the law because it (PDP) would never condone any form of graft.

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President Jonathan Bars Stella Oduah from Signing Ceremony in Israel

 

Things have gotten really bad for the Aviation Minister Stella Oduah as President Jonathan bas her from the signing ceremony of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

 

Embattled Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, will not be taking part in the historic signing of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, with Israel today, investigation has confirmed.

Oduah, who had left Nigeria for Israel ahead of Jonathan, is facing a twin-prong probe from the Presidency and the House of Representatives over her role in the acquisition of two overpriced armoured car valued at N225 million.

Oduah is said to have gone to Israel with the hope that she could use the opportunity of the visit to explain her position on the controversial car deal to Mr. President and take part in sealing the air deal with the country.

 

Competent sources said that the President had not given the minister any opportunity to discuss the issue with him since his arrival in the Holy Land last Wednesday.

The source explained that the Nigerian leader decided to keep the minister out of the signing ceremony because he did not want his visit to be overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Oduah.

 

One source said last night that it was in a bid to keep the minister away from the limelight that she was not given any visibility since Jonathan arrived in the country.

Competent Presidency sources said that President Goodluck Jonathan was uncomfortable with the public outrage arising from Oduahgate and would not want to be seen as condoning corruption with the embattled minister on his side.

Sources also said many ministers, who are apparently fed up with Oduah, are pushing for her removal from the cabinet, while those in her support think otherwise, blaming political enemies for her ordeal.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has said it has no documents regarding the purchase of the two controversial armoured cars purpotedly bought for the use of the nation’s aviation industry.

 

NCAA’s position was contained in a three paragraph letter addressed to the Falana and Falana Chambers in response to the request by the law firm asking for detailed information about the purchase of the cars.

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My President, This Is My Story: Minister Of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah

 

The embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, has written to the president to explain her side of the purchase of N255m BMW 760 cars story.

 

We gathered that the President on Tuesday issued query to her to explain her role in the purchase of the armoured cars. Her defence titled: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE PROCUREMENT OF NCAA OPERATIONAL VEHICLES, she wrote: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is the statutory regulator of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Industry.

 

Consequently, the NCAA is charged with oversight responsibilities over all civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, SARPs, and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs.

 

 2. Towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory responsibilities, therefore, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over 400 airstrips. In keeping with standard practice, provision is therefore made annually for the replacement of obsolete, inadequate and unreliable monitoring equipment.

 

3. In the 2013 budgetary appropriation, provision was made for the procurement of specialised equipment (including operational vehicles) to complement and in some cases replace obsolete ones.

 

Furthermore, the fact that NCAA, as the regulator of the industry, often plays host to dignitaries from ICAO, IATA, US FAA, AFRAA, AFCAC BAGASO, CANSO, ACI and a host of others makes it necessary to have specialised operational vehicles.

 

4. With regard to the procurement of additional operational vehicles (including BMW Security Vehicles), the following due process was observed:

 

(I) By letter dated April 15, 2013, NCAA officially requested authorisation from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to procure 56 operational vehicles through lease financing. This option was proposed to the ministry to enable the NCAA make 36 monthly payments based on receipts from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

 

Approval

 

The Ministry therefore granted due approval.

 

(ii)Based on the ministry approval, the NCAA invited Expressions of Interest from all Banks in Nigeria for the financing of the said vehicles. EOI was adopted because the procurement is two sided. First, the financier would have to be selected before the supplier is determined. This is in line with procurement best practices.

 

(iii) On May 24, 2013, the response received from the various banks to the Expression of Interest, EOI, request was opened publicly and minutes of the opening exercise was duly documented. During the EOI opening exercise, NCAA got commendation from one of the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, approved by BPP who were invited for the opening exercise.

 

(iv) The evaluation of the expression of interests was held on May 31, 2013 during which First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC emerged most responsive. On the June 10, 2013 the above three banks were invited to submit Financial Proposals. Thereafter, First Bank emerged the highest rated responsive bidder.

 

(v)Between June 20 and 25, 2013, invoices were received from various accredited motor vehicle dealers during which only Coscharis Motors Limited quoted for BMW Security Vehicles. Tenders Board

 

(vi) On June 28, 2013, NCAA Parastatal Tenders Board approved the selection of First Bank Ltd for the Lease Financing as well as Metropolitan Motor Vehicles and Coscharis for the supply of the vehicles. All necessary approvals were duly sought and obtained accordingly.

 

(vii) Between July 8, 2013 to August, 12, 2013 various meetings were held with First Bank Ltd, contract agreement was signed and necessary documentation executed.

 

Your Excellency is respectfully invited to note:

 

(i) The crucial statutory role of the NCAA in regulating civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).

 

(ii) The need for NCAA to be fully equipped with highly specialized tools and facilities (including operational vehicles) to enable the effective implementation of its statutory functions.

 

(iii) The procurement of specialized operational vehicles is duly provided for in the NCAA 2p 13 (IGR) Budget and the need for adopting instalment lease payments over 36 months.

 

(iii) That Due Process was followed in the procurement of the said operational vehicles.

 

Please your Excellency my continued loyally and esteemed regards.

 

Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, OON, Honourable Minister.

 

In conclusion, this lady really loves being the aviation minister.

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Dino Melaye Proves The Minister Of Aviation, Stella Oduah Has Defrauded The Nation

After the Ministry confirmed that they bought bullet proof cars for the Minister of Aviation worth N225Million, Hon. Dino Melaye has taken the issue seriously as he proves the minister has defrauded the nation because he has confirmed that the vehicles are no where near the price the minister claimed she bought the vehicles for.

Stella Oduah claimed that she spent N255million on two exotic cars, but Dino Melaye contacted companies in America and Germany and they told him that the "REAL" cost of those cars is N96million.

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Aviation ministry denies Arik claim

 The ministry of aviation has denied allegations made by Arik Air that the Minister, Stella Adaeze Oduah demanded a 5 percent equity holding in Arik Airlines, saying the so-called equity demand was unfounded and diversionary.

It would be recalled that Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other unions operating in the aviation sector had, on Thursday, grounded the operation of the airline earlier in the week, explaining the action was to get Arik and other debtor airlines to pay their debts.

But, Arik Air, in a statement, same day, announced the suspension of its flight operations due to what it described as the “persistent hostility of the Ministry of Aviation, and FAAN management, which has culminated in the use of FAAN staff to stop Arik Air operations and lock in checked-in passengers in Lagos”.

The airline insisted that the issue “bothers on personal interests, and not payment of bills; since FAAN has been collecting their charges in advance since 18 months now” alleging further that the ministry had demanded a 5 per cent equity in its commpany.

Joe Obi, the Special Adviser on Media attached to the Aviation Minister, in statement made available to Daily Times on Friday, described the allegation as 'absurd, malicious and ultimately laughable'.

Insisting that the sole intent of this release is to put the records straight, the statement said: “The first impulse is to totally ignore this groundless falsehood.

“The 5 percent equity story is without any foundation whatsoever. It is absurd, malicious and ultimately laughable. The Honourable Minister of Aviation could not have contemplated acquiring a stake in any airline, let alone Arik Air that is groaning from a crippling N85.4 billion debt overhang.

“The time is ripe for Arik Air to change its business module that ‘thrives’ on unprecedented accumulation of debts and liabilities. The futile attempt to impugn the integrity of the Aviation

“Minister by inferring a conflict of interest against her is at best diversionary. It should be obvious to the management of Arik Air that blackmail is not a panacea for a floundering enterprise.

The Minister has asked her lawyers to seek legal redress for this malicious allegation by Arik Air.

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Air traffic controllers okay cancellation of N2,500 passenger service charge

Air Traffic Controllers, ATCs, in the nation’s aviation sector, have expressed support for Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah’s cancellation of the N2,500 Passenger Service Charge, PSC, effected by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of MMA2, describing it as an added burden on travellers.

The company had increased the charge from N1,000 to N2,500 per passenger, citing Aviation Ministry’s approval, which was later debunked by the minister.

President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, NATCA, Ibrahim Haske, who spoke on behalf of his members, said the increase would have imposed more burden on air passengers currently conteding with high fares.

Haske said the minister only did what was patriotic and in the interest of the public in rejecting the increase, saying Bi-Coutney’s move defied all economic logic.

He said: “We are shocked that at a time air travelers were facing harsh economic burden, following hike in ticket fares, any well-meaning Nigerian would take extra pleasure in adding to this burden by defending the obnoxious charge at MMA2.

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