Lawyer drags Aviation Minister, FAAN, others to court over alleged violation of Public Procurement Act
By Tobi Adetunji
A renowned Human Rights Lawyer, Barrister Benjamin Barnes Arekameh, Esq. Of Arekameh & Arekameh’s Chambers, has dragged the Minister of Aviation, Senator. Hadi Sirika, Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Capt. Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu and five others to court over alleged violation of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
In a court summon suit NO.FHC/L/CS/325/20222, filed on 23/02/22, sighted by our correspondent and submitted to the Federal High Court of Nigeria Lagos Judicial Division Ikoyi on Wednesday, an excerpt reads thus: A JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENT that the awards of Cleaning and Janitorial Services, contracts awarded by the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Respondents to Scot Williams, Amah Technical and Universal Contractors Ltd, Earth Dreams Engineering & Contractors, Atlanta Cleaner Nig. Ltd, Agbofirm Consultants Ltd, Lenora Ventures, Fortune Works Nig. Ltd, Cleaningful Nig. Ltd, Klean Solution Ltd and Seriyat Global Concept, without complying with the Provisions of Public Procurement Act, 2007, and the abdication of the 4th, 5th and 6th Respondents responsibilities makes the act of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th& 5th Respondents illegal, null and void.”
It therefore seeks, “AN ORDER of Perpetual Injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Respondents whether by themselves, their agents or any person or persons acting pursuant to their instructions/directives from giving effect to the Cleaning and Janitorial Services, Contracts already awarded to Scot Williams, Amah Technical and Universal Contractors Ltd, Earth Dreams Engineering & Contractors, Atlanta Cleaner Nig. Ltd, Agbofirm Consultants Ltd, Lenora Ventures, Fortune Works Nig. Ltd, Cleaningful Nig. Ltd, Klean Solution Ltd and Seriyat Global Concept, without complying with the Provisions of Public Procurement Act, 2007, pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit.
“And for such order or further orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
Accordingly, the erudite lawyer, Barrister Benjamin Barnes Arekameh, Esq, is requesting on behalf of his client, Mr. Frank Olu Ojo, that the court should issue a Judicial Pronouncement and an Order of Perpetual injunction over the alleged illegal award of Cleaning and Janitorial Services to the above mentioned companies which was alleged to be the business proxies of the Minister of Aviation and a clear violation of the Provisions of Public Procurement Act, 2007.
Earlier in the week, Nigerian NewsDirect reported a case of alleged Illegal termination of over 80 Cleaning Janitorial Service providing Companies, and many scandalous act shrouding the Aviation industry and capable of rendering millions of masses jobless.
The report alleged that the Minister of Aviation through business proxies and political allies, was instrumental to the awarding of contract to Scot Williams Cleaning services, a company that left the airport abruptly in 2021 due to its unprofessionalism and lack of top notch equipment to effectively handle Cleaning and Janitorial services of international repute.
In the same vein, insider sources claimed that there was no certificate of no objection from Bureau of Public Procurement for the Procurement contrary to the position of the management.
Our correspondent also discovered, that Cleaningful Nigeria Limited one of Companies to which the contract was awarded was traced to a former General Manager of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Retired Architect Mahmud Oyerelemi which was a clear violation of Public Procurement Act 2007.
Hence, Mr. Frank Olu Ojo appealed to President Muhammad Buhari to swiftly address the anomaly in the Aviation industry so as to ensure order, sanctity, transparency and confidence is restored to the system.
In an attempt to dig further into that matter, a source who preferred anonymity, raised an integrity question about the planned concession of the major international Airport earlier embarked on by the ministry of Aviation. Against the background of the recent unveilings in the industry. He noted that, the Aviation industry may be heading toward a journey of no return, as all attempt towards the privatisation is targeted as self-aggrandizement or making merchandise of the sensitive industry.
He advised the ministry, that award of contract to financially incapable organisation such as Scot Williams Cleaning Agencies will only lead to national embarrassment as there is no proof of their expertise and international recognition for the company and others in such cohorts. He pleaded that all hands must be deck to rescue the Aviation industry from total collapse.
It is succinct to note that before now, the Minister of Aviation, had been alleged of violation of the Public Procurement Act and attempt to usurp the office/ powers of the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FANN), Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu.
Furthermore, our source noted that besides the allegation that these Cleaning and Janitorial services whose contract were terminated had a running contract with Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), it was also alleged that FAAN owed these service providers up to the tune of N160million.
However, stakeholders who are concerned about national prosperity have raised concerns about the unprofessionalism of the cleaning services companies, who were neither members of EHERCON, nor any regulatory bodies in Nigeria, which therefore brings into question the quality of service they claim to be capable of executing.
Specifically, they debunked Scot Williams Cleaning and Janitorial Agencies and its charade of Canadian ties, as misleading for the claim could not be substantiated upon deep-rooted inquiry.
