Reps Probe Grounding Of Rivers Jet …As TUC Sees FG’s Move As Diversionary, Supports Amaechi

The House of Representatives yesterday in Abuja mandated its Committees on Justice and Aviation to extensively investigate the justification and circumstances surrounding the alleged grounding of the Rivers airplane.

The committees are expected to report their findings to the House within two weeks.

This resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Rep. Ahmed Idris (ACN-Plateau), which was unanimously adopted without debate when put to vote by Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

The motion is entitled: “Urgent need to Investigate the Justification for and Circumstances Surrounding the Controversial Grounding of Rivers State Government Bombardier B700 Global Express”.

Idris expressed concern that impunity and political vendetta were currently the order of the day in a 21st century democratic Nigeria.

He said that a Bombardier BD700 Global Express Plane with registration number 5N565RS belonging to Rivers Government was grounded at Akure Airport on April 26.

According to Idris, the plane, which conveyed the Governor of Rivers and other government officials from Owerri to Akure was grounded by the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in controversial circumstances.

He said that the plane was grounded with a request that the entourage should contact the Minister of Aviation or Director of NAMA for clearance, being the only condition for the plane to fly.

According to Idris, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NACA) subsequently issued a statement giving a different reason why the airplane has been permanently grounded.

He said that there was an attempt to ground the airplane at Owerri Airport on the orders of the Managing Director of NAMA for a different reason.

The legislator expressed concern that three different reasons had been adduced for the controversial grounding of the Rivers Government Airplane.

Idris urged the relevant committees to  look into the matter.

Meanwhile, a bill to amend the National Park Service Act of 2004 passed its second reading in the House.

The bill seeks to broaden the definition of “ National Park” to expressly include waterfalls.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. John Enoh (PDP-Cross River).

Meanwhile, the Rivers State council of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has described the grounding of the Rivers State Government jet by the Federal Government as a ploy to divert the attention of Governor Chibuike Amaechi from performing his duties.

The state chairman of the congress, Comrade Chika Onuegbu, who said this in Port Harcourt also described as preposterous the reasons behind the grounding of the jet.

Mr Onuegbu said that Rivers workers, especially the TUC members were very proud of the achievements of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, stressing that the national leadership of both the TUC and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) were solidly behind him.

The TUC chairman solicited governor’s approval for the implementation of GL17 in the Rivers State Civil Service while urging for  the employment of more medical laboratory personnel as well as the release of the results of the promotion exercise conducted since November, 2012 at the hospitals management board.

Mr Onuegbu also called for measures to check the high level of oil theft in the country, while insisting that corrupt judges who were desecrating the temple of  justice with deliberate sale of judgements be flushed out by the Chief Justice of the Federation.

He appealed to the governor to intervene in the crisis rocking West African Glass Industry (WAGI) by prevailing on the management to respect the court judgement on the payment of end of service benefits to workers of WAGI while the N29.6 million owed players and coaches of  Dolphins Football Club be paid without fail.

While commending the governor for the payment of retirement benefits to staff of Airport Hotel, he reiterated the need for the  resuscitation of the hotel.

The chairman also demanded  for the provision of affordable and decent low cost housing for Rivers workers, and called for nec3essary action towards the actualisation of the TUC secretariat.

L-R: Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Abdulwaheed Omar, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and Trade Union Congress, President, Mr Peter Esele, at the Pre-May Day symposium in Abuja, yesterday.