TomBola
24th Aug 2008, 10:45
The Punch is reporting that the World Bank, having discovered conflicting figures in the budgeting for the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt International, has refused to release money which was previously promised. Apparently the original figures had been tampered with and the original figures grossly inflated, but it's not known whether this was done by officials in the Ministry of Aviation or the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. The decision may also have been influenced by the revelations surrounding the mismanagement of the N19.5bn Aviation Intervention Fund and the N2bn given by the Rivers State Government. The case is still under probe by the Senate.
The award of the lighting contract for DNPO also needs to be investigated. The Nigerian contractors awarded the contract had registered in the name of a popular German runway lighting installations company to get the contract. This was later found to be a lie and when the World bank discovered that it was dealing with a company with no experience of such installations.
As ever, there appears to have been no proper oversight of bids and now the airport still has no runway lighting, a grossly inadequate terminal building and laughable security. It is also burdened by local politics. Yet again corruption is holding back development of aviation infrastructure in this country. It is about time that a proper investigation was carried out, those responsible for the emasculation of DNPO for 2 years should be brought to book, charged and made to pay for their crimes. How much longer are we going to allow public sector officials to bring our industry into ill repute and jeopardise aviation safety in this country :confused::confused::mad::mad:
The full story van be found here:
PH International Airport (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200808240434742)
The award of the lighting contract for DNPO also needs to be investigated. The Nigerian contractors awarded the contract had registered in the name of a popular German runway lighting installations company to get the contract. This was later found to be a lie and when the World bank discovered that it was dealing with a company with no experience of such installations.
As ever, there appears to have been no proper oversight of bids and now the airport still has no runway lighting, a grossly inadequate terminal building and laughable security. It is also burdened by local politics. Yet again corruption is holding back development of aviation infrastructure in this country. It is about time that a proper investigation was carried out, those responsible for the emasculation of DNPO for 2 years should be brought to book, charged and made to pay for their crimes. How much longer are we going to allow public sector officials to bring our industry into ill repute and jeopardise aviation safety in this country :confused::confused::mad::mad:
The full story van be found here:
PH International Airport (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200808240434742)