Embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who is facing separate probe panels set up by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the National Assembly over the purchase of N255 million armoured cars has written the president to explain her side of the story.
The President on Tuesday issued query to her to explain her role in the purchase of the armoured cars.
In her response, the minister said procurement of the cars followed due process and was provided for in the NCAA 2013 budget.
Defence
In 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’s 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 instalmental lease payments over36rionths.
(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. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
What was NCAA cost estimate for the vehicles as basis for bid evaluation. What was Coscharis quote against that of NCAA and the percentage difference before approval.
ReplyDeletewho is fooling who. No be Naija we dey? It will soon go down, where Abati dey? All of them na the same thing,....I begi
ReplyDeleteBids and Tenders are just hoax to deceive the masses, the civil servants are doing their own thing.
ReplyDeleteJust make the money disappear and give that disappearance a *name*
ReplyDeleteStella, thank God you did, the right. Do not mind haters, heating up Nigeria unnecessarily, becos of APC, Amechi and Tambuwal for grounding his Jet.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Princess. Corruption has made us all not believe the truth. We'd rather see her hang. Big shame.
ReplyDeleteEmmanuel Amogu
Nigeria is indeed a funny Country..from this explanation, how on earth did these vehicles suddenly become Stella Oduah's Vehicles. why heat-up the polity and make inflamatory statements for no just reason. Ministries, House of Reps, Gov. Parastatals, etc buy vehicles for official purposes.. By the way Nigeria does not manufacture vehicles and so brand new vehicles are expensive to buy. in this case NCAA purchased vehicles for official purposes and not for Prince Oduah.
ReplyDeleteSO SHE HAS THE FEDERAL HONOURARY TITLE OF OON? NO WONDER, IT MEANS - OGBOLOGBO OLE OF NIGERIA! YOU ARE FREE TO OPERATE JOO
ReplyDeleteGod! Some Nigerians are easily deceived. Imagine, some persons on this forum have clear Oduah of any wrong doing. Her ministry needed 56 vehicles but, she bought two for a wooping #255m and they see nothing wrong with that? This country is truly CURSED with HUMAN RESOURCES. RUBBISH!
ReplyDeleteShe was supposed to have seen the estimates for the said cars, and should have raised some kind of objection knowing that the buck stops on her desk as the minister, since she didn't do that or rather felt it was okay to buy 2 cars at that amount, then she's not a good manager. If she can't stop the people in her ministry from being reckless with the available resources, then she is not competent.
ReplyDeleteNo figure was quoted?
ReplyDeleteIf Nigerian banks and reputable companies are so involved in this, then it's we have just started?
ReplyDeleteNigerians can easily be fooled! why waiting to respond to all these allegations if not to buy time to prepare fictitious documents.....From this reply, it is evident that she is not done with the purchase of armoured vehicles......NCAA functions indeed! The House of Rep has denied Approving the purchases in the Ministry's 2013 budgeyt. I ask, if the National Assembly cannot make laws and parastatals obey then do we actually need lawmakers in this country? .....This case will die a natural death especially as it involves one of GEJs girlfriends! A PhD Holder (indeed?) that cannot fund infrastructural development in Universities can allow his 'babe'to suck the Nation dry! PDP, Party of thieves!!
ReplyDeleteSome Nigerians are stupid so how did the transaction show that the minister bought the car or the cars belong to her office? . Some of us just hate Igbo for no excuse and this is why anytime an Igbo man is in any high position some people will not rest until the person is removed from the office and this too common to the yorubas . Enough of this rubbish . Who steals more than the Yoruba people in public offices this country . It is not possible to live government offices to the Yorubas alone and your constant propaganda cannot give any Igbo man sleepless night .
ReplyDeleteThe Hon. Minister is in the right direction. Pls Nigerians learn to appreciate a good work.
ReplyDeleteWell its obvious that the polity Nigeria is doomed. If cars not worth 60million naira is inflated to 255 million and some Nigerians see nothing wrong with,obviously its a case of damaged intellectual reality. Under this regime the number of private jet owners sky rockets at a stupenduous rate its obvious why- a regime of courageous rogues. And for some who claim she's innocent because she's Igbo well you appear to be more misearble and pathetic than even the Nigerian challenge
ReplyDelete@ anonymous 3:11pm, it seems you have some kind of mental derangements. You want everybody to keep quiet because it was an igbo who stole. You are all the same everywhere- I before others/have it all attitude.
ReplyDeleteWhy should he keep quite anonymous 5.56pm. U people are always envious about the igbos becos they are always great achievers. They will always excel becos they are wise people. U are just being envious.
DeleteHmmmm I now understand why this country will remain in the doldrums. We find a way to make every issue either a religious or ethnic one, we are so gullible, God help us. Corruption is corruption weather perpetrated by North West East South it is not justifiable by any standard. Hey Nigerians the earlier we learn to all stand for the TRUTH and condemn evil for what it is the better for us else these politicians are going to ruin us they have no conscience if they did they would bow their heads in shame. How dis-honourable can one get?
ReplyDeleteWow! This is a well articulated response, but only to one who already made his mind that Oduah is clean for how can she explain how two cars cost 255 million naira when better cars cost must less? She is just directed to save face so that she can be forgiven with a reason. For how can the agency deny knowledge of having paid such an extrenous amount especially if the said automobile was deliverred? We are really In a mess and the president is not helping matters.
ReplyDeleterevolution !revolution revolution!!!dis is wht we need nigerian youth wke up plsssssssssssssssssss!
ReplyDeleteIt is an act of God!
ReplyDeletehumumum hahahaha it is the will of of God no e so princess ole
ReplyDeleteThis is rubbish, what is she explaining, we don't need her explanation. We are not fools, we have been deceived for so long. Nigerian youth enough is enough. We must stand up and fight these greedy leaders. We must fight 4 our right.
ReplyDelete