According to the government, the suspension of the projects was due to paucity of funds to continue them as well as the mounting financial indebtedness faced by the ministry.
The Supervising Minister for Aviation, Dr. Samuel Ortom, disclosed that the Federal Government had commenced a holistic review of projects embarked upon by the ministry.
Ortom spoke during the visit of the Senate Committee on Aviation, led by its Chairman, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
President Goodluck Jonathan in February eased Oduah of her duties as minister. The former aviation minister had embarked on a series of projects across most airports in the country and the government had received billions as loans for construction work on these facilities.
Ortom explained that some loans obtained for the construction of four cargo airports in the country had accrued interests amounting to billions of naira.
He therefore noted that it was in the best interest of the country to strategise on how to settle the debt and review some of the projects.
He said, "We have met with the Ministry of Finance and we are setting up an inter-ministerial committee to review the projects. We have looked at the figures and based on paucity of funds we feel that something needs to be done.
"We are going to review these projects to see where we can, at least for now, suspend some of the projects that are yet to take off so that we can bring the figure down and work towards working within the releases from the appropriation so that we settle the ongoing projects."
Ortom further said the government would henceforth prioritise projects in the sector, stressing that the ministry was faced with huge financial challenges.
He said, "We are going to prioritise. Because in a situation where we have this kind of huge challenges we have to prioritise what we do. Challenges are meant to be overcome by the operators. By the time we put heads together with the Ministry of Finance and Budget Office of the Federation, we must find a way out.
"There is a roadmap and we have no other choice than to complete this roadmap that was approved by the Federal Executive Council and ably supported by the National Assembly.
"So we have set up a committee that is going to look at that and also not just verifying those indebtedness but also finding the source of funding for these projects."
On whether he was not worried about the level of indebtedness by the ministry, the senate committee chairman said the government would find a way to address the issue.
"Most importantly, the projects as conceived are very important projects that are necessary and if for budgetary constraints they are not moving forward, we will find a way. There is no problem without resolution and we will through constructive partnership create a resolution to the problem," Uzodinma said.
via nigerianeye
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