Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, yesterday, queried Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over the allocation of N3 billion for consultancy on national carrier project and N500 million for consultancy on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation sector in the 2021 budget proposal of the ministry.
The lawmakers also raised concerns that while the Federal Government was talking about concessioning of four international airports, it was proposing to spend N200million on the affected airports.
According to Akin Alabi, “a lot of Nigerians are not impressed about the national carrier project, the working capital for the national carrier in the 2020 budget, N2.2 billion allocated and this year 2021, you are asking for N1 billion.
“Can you explain what you mean by ‘working capital’ because I know it is definitely not to buy planes, so can you explain what this billions year in year out is meant for as regards working capital.
“For the concession of four international airport, Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt, last year, N297 million was budgeted for it and this year, you are asking for N200 million. What type of consultancy is this that will cost half a billion? “