Former President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, came under fire, as senators took turns to air their displeasure at what they referred as shoddy concession of Aminu Kano International Airport and others in barely a week to end of his tenure.
Stating that the exercise was not done In the interest of the public, the upper legislative chamber urged the Federal Government to review the entire process and provide a level-playing ground for all stakeholders.
The ventilation followed a motion titled, ‘Urgent Need to Reverse the Concession of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South).
While making his proposition, the lawmaker recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC), on May 17 this year, concessioned the gateway to Messrs Corporation America Airports Consortium for 30 years.
He pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Aviation (and Aerospace) does not own, or run any airport in Nigeria, adding that by the dictates of the governing Act of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), ownership and management of all federal airports are fully vested in the agency.
Sumaila quoted the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) procedure document which states with respect to the agency that wishes to concession a facility that: “The public entity should have enabling authority to transfer its responsibility – enabling legislative and policy framework or an administrative order to that effect.”
He said from the combined import of the FAAN Act and ICRC procedures manual, it was evident that the entire exercise failed integrity test.
“There is no doubt that it is FAAN, and not the Ministry of Aviation, that has powers ‘to transfer its responsibility’ to a would-be concessionaire.
“It is also FAAN, not the ministry, which has the requisite ‘legislative and policy framework for such,” the senator stated.
He raised more concerns that the nation was allegedly receiving a concession upfront of $1.5 million, whereas the facility generates $97.4 million for government.
Sumaila, who termed the concession “dubious,” questioned what the actors stood to gain.
Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP: Kebbi), in his contribution, asserted that the Federal Government did not observe due diligence in the whole deal.
His colleague from Borno South, Ali Ndume, lamented that some of the agencies and officials that actively participated in recent concession and privatisation of national assets took advantage of Buhari’s passiveness.
He said his remarks were to guide the Senate on pregnant issues relating to the exercise.
“So many things were done wrong by the previous administration, and that was because the government was almost personalised and privatised. Some people took advantage of the former Presidents passiveness,” he added.
Ndume cautioned his colleagues against politicising the matter.
Also contributing, Sani Musa (Niger East), while faulting the process, stated: “International best practices were thrown into the gutters.”
Rufai Hanga (NNPP: Kano Central) sought outright reversal of the exercise.
