Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has mentioned that solely N3 billion was launched for the Nigeria Air undertaking, and the funds have been spent on consultative providers and workplace upkeep.

Way of life Nigeria stories that Sirika disclosed this whereas clearing the air on the controversial undertaking throughout a dwell programme on Come up TV on Sunday, stating that the federal government didn’t pay for the chartered Ethiopian plane showcased as Nigeria Air, because it was introduced by Ethiopian Airways to show dedication to the undertaking.

He refuted the allegation of spending N85 billion on the undertaking, emphasizing that solely N5 billion was budgeted and never the entire N3 billion launched was expended throughout his tenure.

Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, reveals that the federal authorities launched solely N3 billion for the Nigeria Air undertaking within the final 7 years

He additionally mentioned that the N3 billion had not been absolutely expended earlier than he left the workplace on Could 29.

Based on him, the full cash budgeted for the undertaking since 2018 was N5 billion, out of which N3 billion had been disbursed.

That is whilst he declared that the nation didn’t pay a dime for the Chartered Ethiopian Plane showcased a couple of days earlier than the top of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Reacting to the allegation that the Aviation Ministry beneath Sirika had spent N85 billion on the Nigeria Air undertaking, the previous Minister mentioned:

“From 2016 to 2023, the entire cash voted and budgeted for Nigeria Air is N5 billion. However all that was launched was within the neighborhood of N3 billion, not N85 billion, and never the entire N3 billion has been expended as of the time I left workplace. What has been achieved with the cash is nothing however to get particular advisory providers, the AOC processes, salaries, consultive providers, and the upkeep of the workplace in Abuja.

“No contract was awarded by Hadi Sirika, these are the issues the cash was used for. And there may be the Freedom of Data Act, folks can apply and get all of the details about what the cash has been used for. The N85 billion being talked about is simply within the creativeness of the folks carrying it about.”

Whereas admitting that the Ethiopian plane that was showcased because the success of the undertaking was chartered, Sirika mentioned the federal government didn’t pay for the plane because it was introduced by Ethiopian Airways to show their dedication to the undertaking.

“The AOC owned by Ethiopian Airline is understood to Nigeria and the NCAA, they’re permitted to return in both with scheduled passengers, chattered or cargo. They’ve to return in beneath one of many 3. So, they got here as chartered. Being chartered doesn’t imply that anyone paid for something. The federal government didn’t pay a dime for that plane to return in.

“Secondly, there was no income passenger within the plane as a result of that may have been completely in opposition to the regulation and wouldn’t have been allowed. It was their very own advertising technique as fairness companions. They got here to do that unveiling on a particular allowance known as chartered and it doesn’t imply that we paid for it. If anyone was to pay for it, it will have been the Ethiopian Airline, not the Nigerian authorities. No penny was paid,” the previous Minister mentioned.

A number of people and teams have been calling for the arrest and investigation of the previous Minister over allegations of fraud by the Nigeria Air undertaking.

Whereas some argued that the entire undertaking from the start lacked transparency, others are saying that the last-minute unveiling of an Ethiopian Airline repainted as Nigeria Air was a fraud for which the Minister must be prosecuted.