… Insists FG, FAAN owe it N200b
In reaction to the claims by aviation unions that Management of Bi- Courtney Aviation Service Limited (BASL) operators of Murtala Muhammed Domestic Airport 2 (MMA2) Lagos, has denied owing Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) the sum of N20billion. BASL however insisted that it is the Federal government and Management of FAAN that are indebted to it to the tune of N200billion.
In a statement reacting to the report of the press conference held by National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) on October 10, 2017, spokesperson of BASL, Chief Steve Omolale said the terminal operator “is not indebted to FAAN, but on the contrary, it is FAAN and the Federal Government that are indebted to Bi-Courtney for an amount now in excess ofN200billion.”
He recalled that, “a sum of N132billion was confirmed by a court of competent jurisdiction in 2012 in the case of Bi-Courtney Ltd vs. AG Federation (FHC/ABJ/CS/50/2009).”
According to BASL: “Contrary to the clear provisions of the Concession Agreement, the Coordinating Committee set up by the Attorney-General of the Federation and the decision of the Court of Law, FAAN continues to operate the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), which belongs to Bi-Courtney, thus depriving BASL of over 50% of its revenue. This is a very poor advertisement for any nation seeking to attract private capital for development.”
Claiming that the unions are aware of this position but decided to trend a contrary path, by discrediting BASL and mislead the public, Omolale affirmed that the unions had actually challenged the Concession Agreement in court and lost the case in Appeal No. CA/A/141/M/2009.
He therefore warned the unions of the consequences of their attempts at undermining the decision of a Federal Court, saying, There is no better time to remind the unions that Nigeria is a country of laws and all citizens are bound by the laws of the country.
