Photo: airplanes.glo-con.com
The House of Representatives has ordered federal aviation authorities to immediately surrender a comprehensive list of all private jets in Nigeria, at a hearing on the controversial grounding of a Rivers State-owned aircraft.
A House joint committee on justice and aviation agreed that the list, which must contain identification of all private jets in the country, names of owners, agents, expiration dates of clearances and licenses and other vital data, be made available in two days.
“Let us have a register of titles of all registered private aircraft in Nigeria including those on adhoc basis. If anyone is confidential, indicate so,” said Ali Ahmad, chairman, house committee on justice.
The order came on Tuesday after lawmakers heard conflicting testimonies from federal government officials, including the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, and Rivers State officials, led by the Secretary to the State Government, George Feyii.
The federal government insisted its earlier position that Rivers government had not established it ownership of the aircraft, since the plane was registered in the name of a U.S. bank.
Again, Rivers State’s claim that Caverton Helicopters was in charge of its interest in the aircraft, requesting and securing necessary clearances, was denied by the helicopter firm.
Caverton agreed it was in partnership with the state initially, but said the cooperation ended since August 2012.
Rivers State has claimed the purchase and operational plan it entered to with the Utah bank and Caverton, which the government has cited as reason for banning the plane, was common with other owners of the private jets in the country.
The list is expected to help determine the real motive behind the federal government’s action, seen by many as political.
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