Airport Terminals Counterpart Funding – The Facts And The Lies Of The APC…Kemi Adeosun Confused
Once again, our attention has been drawn to a statement made by the Minister of Finance, Ms. Kemi Adeosun during the Channels Television Live Programme, ‘Sunrise Daily’ of Tuesday, September 20, 2016 in which she stated that, “Nigeria has not paid the Airport Terminal Counterpart Funding of $100 million….”
This information like many of her previous statements is: false, misleading, malicious and was deliberately made with the intention of blackmailing previous PDP led administration which have been the Hallmark of the APC Government.
We are pained that the All Progressive Congress (APC) under President Muhammadu Buhari is bent on sacrificing our hard earned democracy on the Slab of Falsehood by consistently disregarding and denying all the obvious achievements of the 16 years of PDP era and collective successes of Nigerians. Why is that?
You will recall that the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, in 2014, Awarded the Contract of Remodeling and Building of International Airport Terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu on a ‘Built, Operate and Transfer’ (BOT) basis, financed by Chinese EXIM Bank with counterpart funds from Nigeria. The Contract Total Sum was $500 million with Counterpart Funding of $100 million from Nigeria.
The fact of the matter is that, Nigeria paid her own sum of $100 million on the 29th of January 2014 through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the beginning of the Projects. You will also recall that the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Hajiya Binta Bello corroborated our position during her interview with Thisday Newspaper on the 14th of September, 2015, where she stated that, “Finance was not an impediment, and Nigeria government counterpart funding of $100 million has been paid at the commencement of the Projects”. She went further to assert that the projects will be completed and delivered at the first quarter of 2016.
In the light of the above, the claim by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun is not only standing the truth on its head but depicting the habitual lies and deceit the All Progressive Congress (APC) is known for. For the Record, the previous PDP Government entered into an agreement with the Chinese Government to construct terminals in five Airports, and in January 2014, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wrote the Debt Management Office informing them of effecting the Payment of $100Million to the Chinese Firm, CCECC which was remitted as directed by the CBN. In another thought, could it be that this needless confusion from the Minister regarding the already Paid Fund is to represent the Voucher again for payment?
It is however unfortunate that a Minister that is expected to know better on this matter would deliberately deceive the public in order to continue scoring cheap political points.
To this end, we want to further advice the APC led Administration to concentrate on governance and stop deceiving Nigerians with their constant lies. What the people of this Country need in this period of harsh economic recession is not meaningless and misguided lamentations from a Government of the so called “Change” but good governance demonstrated by at least providing food on their table.
Signed:
Prince Dayo Adeyeye
PDP National Publicity