Allegations of a stolen N750 million from the coffers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) is entirely wrong, as no funds to the tune of any amount was approved or ever went missing due to a fraudulent contract.
An online medium had reported a stolen N750m fraudulent contract scheme that may have indicted top staff of the airport authority but a highly placed source who spoke to our reporter under conditions of anonymity said the only procurement issue was in Feb this year(2020).
The Managing director himself, discovered and queried some procurement documents in February 2020. When the answers to the queries were found unsatisfactory, an investigation was launched, the staff involved were suspended, and later replaced in their official capacities.
The recommendations of the management investigation were forwarded to the Federal ministry of aviation in June 2020.
All this is fully documented and in line with federal civil service procedures.
Our source also said that some of the names as mentioned in the story making rounds had no part in the failed attempt at all..encouraging investigative reporters to cross-check their stories and get factual information instead of smearing Innocents and settling personal scores.
According to our source, the accusation of the theft was just a low and unsubstantiated blow that would have been better clarified instead of going out to run the organisation down.
He said …’a failed attempt to undermine the integrity of our Procurement process is not a theft, there was never any theft…”
Speaking on the matter of the Union, a source in FAAN said due to paucity of funds, management decided to ease the burden of expenditure for all staff in view of the big Sallah on Friday by paying half salary to all senior staff only, with the balance to be paid next week. All FAAN junior staff were paid their full 100% salaries ( GLs 1-7 ) .. A notice to this effect was on all FAAN staff platforms since yesterday… and the unions later got to know of it.
