Aviation: Reps to investigate disbursement of COVID-19 intervention fund

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate complaints by airline operators and other stakeholders on the handling of COVID-19 intervention fund by the Ministry of Aviation.

The Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Rep. Nnolim Nnaji, in a statement on Monday said that the concerns raised by aviation stakeholders regarding the matter were too weighty to be ignored.

The lawmaker disclosed that the committee had resolved to demand from the ministry, the detailed disbursement of the intervention fund to save the industry from any unforeseen incidents.

“The essence is not to witch-hunt anybody but to clear every doubt over the disbursements. We want to know the detailed disbursements, airline by airline, the parastatals under the ministry and other organisations.

“The committee was quite aware of the challenges facing the industry due to the COVID-19 impact and the genuine concerns expressed by its Minister, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on the need for Federal Government’s palliative to the industry.

“Some airline operators, have however, complained that despite being asked to submit their details which they did, up till date, there have been no response from the ministry.

“There was also allegations that the ministry carried out selective disbursements and that the exercise lacked transparency,” he said.

Nnaji assured that though the house had already adjourned for Easter holidays, the committee would cut short its break to look into the matter because of the critical role of aviation in the overall economy of the country.