• Says planned takeover illegal
By Abel Orukpe / Correspondent, Lagos
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), manager of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2(MMA2), Lagos, has insisted that the Federal Government and Asset Management Company of Nigeria, (AMCON) owe BASL a total of N132 billion contrary to claim by AMCON.
Mustapha Chike Obi, AMCON BOSS
The Chief Operating Officer (COO), BASL, Adebisi Awoniyi, who disclosed this to journalist at a media briefing at MMA2, Lagos yesterday, added that the N132 billion owed it was part of the agreement it had with the government before setting up MMA2, Lagos in 2007 and other companies.
Speaking on behalf of the management of BASL, Awoniyi said that parts of the agreement the management had with the government was the use and control of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), but regretted that since the establishment of the terminal, the government had rescinded on its agreement with the company.
The BASL COO stated that the ongoing face-off with AMCON over the controversial debt settlement agreement had for the umpteenth time been held by the judiciary.
She alleged that the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday discharged and struck out the order obtained by AMCON through its counsel, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba to take over the assets of Bi-Courtney in lieu of the controversial debt.
She said that the court while striking out the order described it as an abuse of Court process and further declared it as a nullity.
The Chief Operating Officer declared the purported take-over of the terminal and the Old Federal Secretariat, both in Lagos by AMCON as a contrived and reckless action and a deliberate assault on the integrity of the judicial system by the AMCON.
Explaining further, the Head, Litigation, BASL, Mr. Tola Oshobi, said that parts of the agreements the company had with the government during the signing of the agreement was the setting up of a coordinating committee, which was to review any of its ongoing projects.
Oshobi said that the committee reviewed the projects and came to the conclusion that the government should pay the company to the tune of N132billion as parts of the agreements the government breached.
Source : Independent