FG’s Aviation Debt To Contractors Now N153bn

The outgone Supervis
ing Minister of Aviation, Mr Samuel Ortom, last Wednesday made clarification on the N174 billion debt obligation to contractors working across the various airports in the country.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony to the new Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka in Abuja, Mr Ortom said the current status of commitments and debt is now N153 billion, noting that the committee he set up on assumption as supervising minister came up with an interim report of N174 billion.
Mr Ortom said with the recent payments made to contractors, the status of commitment is now N153 billion.
“When I came here, it became necessary to constitute the committee to verify the entire comments that we have and we received an interim report that brought up the figure of N174 billion,” he said.
While the work is still going on as at today because of the verifications and payments that have been made, we have been able to bring that down to N153 billion commitments though the committee verification work is going on.
He acknowledged president Goodluck Jonathna’s effort in transforming the aviation sector. “As you go round, you will see that the president has given a lot of commitments to the aviation industry.”
Mr Ortom urged the staff of the Ministry to accord Mr Chidoka the maximum support they extended to him, adding “I am aware of the sensitivity of the aviation industry, but we must not allow any gap in the course if allowing the minister to succeed.
Responding, Mr Chidoka paid glowing tribute to HRH Eze Obosi who accompanied him and the out-gone supervising minister of Aviation for keeping the momentum going in the ministry.