N64bn Runway Project: Reps Summon Yar’Adua’s Aide, Ex-minister

Former Aviation Minister, Mr. Babatunde Omotoba

The immediate-past Minister of Aviation, Mr. Babatunde Omotoba, is to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation to answer questions on the controversial N64bn contract for the construction of a new runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Also to appear before the Bethel Amadi-led committee are the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation Matters, Mr. Shehu Iyal; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Richard Asuebeogun; the Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Dr. Emeka Eze; and the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Mr. Wolfang Goetsch.

The committee was mandated by the House to investigate why a runway would cost such a huge amount.

A preliminary report the committee submitted to the House indicated that the contract was awarded to Julius Berger Plc in January this year.

A National Assembly source, who made this known to our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, said that the invitees would give their testimonies during the committee’s public hearing this week.

He said, “The committee has conducted some preliminary work on the matter; now they are going for a public hearing.

“All those connected with the contract, including consultants and firms which bid along with Julius Berger, have been invited to the public hearing to tell Nigerians what they know about this contract.

“The hearing is coming up this week, most likely on Wednesday at the National Assembly.”

The committee’s probe followed a resolution the House passed in March advising the Federal Government to stop work on the project because it was “outrageous” to spend N64bn on a runway when a complete airport could cost less.

The House passed the resolution after a motion by a former Chairman of its Committee on Information and Orientation, Mr. Dino Melaye, was endorsed unanimously.

The Chairman of the Aviation Committee, Mr. Amadi, confirmed to our correspondent that letters had been sent to Omotoba and others.

He said that the invitation did not suggest that anyone had been indicted, explaining that the move was to give those affected the opportunity to tell Nigerians what they knew about the contract.

Amadi added, “For the former minister, we really need him to answer questions relating to his time in office; what he did in office concerning the contract.

“Same is the case for all those we have invited to come and testify; the House still stands by its earlier statement that there are issues with the contract.

“That is why we need them to come and prove otherwise; that our information is not accurate. Nothing has changed from our position.”

The lawmaker disclosed that the committee had already visited and inspected five new airports built recently in the country to use the work done there as a guide for the investigation.

The committee reportedly visited Akwa Ibom, Gombe and Katsina States, among others, where new airport projects had been completed.

The preliminary report the committee submitted to the House stated that before the former minister left office, it made fruitless attempts to get the details of the contract from him.

The report indicated that Julius Berger initially quoted N83.3bn for the 4.5km runway, planned as an alternative to the existing one at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.

The report added that other competitors like PW quoted N39bn.

The document showed that after a review, JB’s figure dropped to N72.7bn, while PW’s dropped to N30bn.

However, following the intervention of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, the report indicated that the contract was eventually awarded to JB for N64bn on January 2 by FAAN.

Apart from the “outrageous” cost of the project, the committee observed that Julius Berger, which designed the project, was awarded the contract.

In the course of the preliminary investigations, the committee found out that the cost of building a complete airport in other countries ranged from $130m (N19.5bn) to $180m (N27bn).

The report quoted the International Civil Aviation Organisation as having certified a complete airport built in South America in 2009 at less than $180m.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Ministry of Aviation, Mr. Yemi Nelson, said he was not sure whether Omotoba received the committee’s summons before Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved the Federal Executive Council last month.

Nelson could also not confirm whether or not the former minister received any letter after leaving office.

He, however, confirmed that Asuebeogun, met with the committee during the preliminary investigations and briefed the committee on the extent of his involvement with the contract.

“I am not sure if he (Omotoba) got the letter before he left office, but he Managing Director of FAAN met the committee,” Nelson added.
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