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.

source: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2013/10/n255m-car-deal-my-story-by-stella-oduah.html?m=1

Madam Minister, this is a shame. Your response didn't capture the salient questions. The salient questions you failed to answer are;
(1) Was there any specific budgetary provision for those vehicles?
(2) Is it true that two amoured vehicles were purchased for N255M under your watch? ( This is even assuming that the vehicles were not bought for u), and
(3) In a country where poverty reigns in highest magnitude, is it morally justified to buy two cars for N255M, purposely for conveying VIP( of any mankind)?

What a shame, what a life!

H

This is someone's response to this on facebook

Madam Stella Oduah should plse define operational vehicles. Secondly, if she defines armoured vehicles as such, then as a UK based Public Sector Financial Consultant with core competency in the area of assets n infrastructures; then I must be held for professional negligence.
I have always insisted that Nigeria professionals and Educated people are the reasons for our failings.
An operational assets is one that is required for the day to day activties of a business which add values to achieving desired daily output. Infact, it is one the business cannot do without to function. For example is a taxi driver needs a car as an operational asset. He doesnt go out to buy a tractor parked on a farm and tell his accountant that he purchased it as an operational asset for his taxi transport business.
Madam Oduah's explanation for N255 million waste doesnt hold any ground. I believe Nigeria's public finance and accounting lack creditability. Or else, how can one explain the volume n magnitude of corruption in the public sector.