The senate panel investigating the management of 19.5 billion naira aviation intervention fund has asked the former aviation minister, Professor Babalola Borishade and his aides to return five billion naira to the federal government.

Though the senate could not consider the report of the panel, it recommended that another former aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode should be barred from holding public office for five years.

Meanwhile, the senate has refused to stop the ministry of finance from making withdrawals from the natural resources fund.

Sponsors of a motion on the unauthorized expenditure had insisted that section 80 of the 1999 constitution does not allow such withdrawals.

The senate started the legislative week with another investigation mission. Some 46 senators had sponsored a motion on the unauthorized expenditures and misapplication of funds from the natural resources fund.


The lead sponsor, Senator George Sekibo had argued that some 80 billion naira was taken from the fund for the importation of funds in 2008. But the senate president had some objections.

Nevertheless, the senate asked its committee on finance to conduct an investigation into the management of the fund which generated about 231.4 billion naira from July 2002 to June 2008.


But the senate could not debate the recommendation of the investigations into the management of 19.5 billion naira aviation intervention fund. The senate had argued that there were technical challenges.

However, the senate panel had recommended that the former aviation minister, Professor Babalola Borishade, the former managing director of the national airspace management authority, captain Roland Iyayi and the contractor for the safe tower project, an Austrian Mr. Geog Eder should be made to return about 5 billion naira being the inflated cost of the projects.


The panel also recommended that another former aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode should be barred from holding public office for five years.

He was accused of irregularities in the award of contracts in the ministry as well as undue interference in the affairs of parastatals under the ministry.

The panel also advised the federal government to set up a contract review panel to review all the contracts awarded with the intervention fund.


Unlike the report of the FCT probe, the senate could not go on. Nigerians will be watching to see what becomes of the report.

where prof. borishade go get 5 billion to return. 5 billion no be 5 million oo! these lawmakers dey make me laugh

his cronies would simply give him the N5billion and steal it from the Nigerian treasury when next they get the chance.

must_a_far:

his cronies would simply give him the N5billion and steal it from the Nigerian treasury when next they get the chance.

Smart!

if borishade gives them the 5 billion doesnt that automatically make him guilty of the crime his accused of?. common his not that stupid he'd rather be charged to court than cough out that money.

RICHIE BOI:

if borishade gives them the 5 billion doesnt that automatically make him guilty of the crime his accused of

Very good point. How about the families with the dead relatives as a result of these bastards' incompetencies? I hope Fani Kayode and this crazy professor rot in jail and cough up 50Billion Naira.

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