The Delta government says it has refunded a total of N4.3 million to 2,878 persons who paid application fees for employment at the Asaba airport in October, 2010.

The recipients were among more than 15, 000 job-seekers who paid N1,500 each as application fee for various jobs at the airport, which were advertised by the government.

Our correspondent recalls that news of the application fee collection had drawn the ire of the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.

He had then ordered an immediate refund of the money to all the applicants, and also approved the release of N23 million for that purpose.

Investigation revealed that bureaucratic processes delayed a prompt compliance with the directive for about 10 months in spite of the governor’s approval.

However, the refund of the money to the job-seekers began in October, 2011 when some of the applicants who were shortlisted for interview arrived for the examination in Asaba.

Special Project Director for the airport, Mr Austin Ayemidejor whose office is supervising the refund, confirmed that all the candidates who honoured the invitation to the interview received the refund.

“As they arrived for the interview, we collected their bank details, because we had earlier announced it in the media. It was through their bank accounts that we paid them.

“We have paid everyone that attended the interview, as well as those who were not invited for the examination but heard about the refund and came forward with their bank details.

“And, as at March 15, 2012 we have refunded the money to a total of 2,878 persons through their bank accounts”, Ayemidejor, who is Uduaghan’s aide on the airport project, told newsmen.

He disclosed that Zenith Bank was co-ordinating the payment through 25 other banks and finance houses.

These included Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Sterling Bank, Ecobank, Abbey Building Society and Eagle Cement.