The House of Representatives committee on
Aviation has begun hearing on the alleged
purchase of two BMW cars for N255million for
Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah.



The hearing, proposed to start at noon, started 25
minutes later, PremiumTimes' National Assembly correspondent reports from the hearing room.
However, Oduah is absent at the hearing: It has
been reported she has been still on her way from
Israel. The Committee directed her to appear before it tomorrow, Thursday, by 10 a.m.
The hearing had been earlier scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed to allow the Minister to return from Israel where she was to sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Israel.
Jerry Manwe, a member of the Committee from
Taraba State commented the absence of Oduah,
saying:
"Absence of the minister is a slap on the face of
the House."
By now, officials from the Nigeria Customs, First
Bank and Coscharis have spoke. Details below:

Nigerian Customs confirm that the two cars
were imported in June, no import duty was
paid.
After the hearing finally started, Nigerian Customs confirmed that the two cars were imported and cleared at Tin Can 2, but the import duty on the two cars, which should have been anout N10 million, were not paid because there was a waiver note issued by the Finance Ministry.
Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa
Daniel Jatau, stated:
"The two cars were imported through Tin Can
Port 2; Imported from Antwerp Netherlands. The
vehicles were cleared 19/6/2013. Coscharis
imported the cars without paying import duties
since there was a waiver from the ministry of
finance.
Coscharis obtained the waiver claiming the
armoured cars were part of 300 vehicles imported for the Sports festival in Lagos last
year, and therefore the beneficiary was Lagos
state government. The due import duty should
have been N10.1 million.
The cars had an End User Certificate from the
NSA office in the name of Coscharis. The waiver
obtained by Coscharis was for one year; as such
the time of importation this year was covered.
Customs admit its laws requires that it enforces
duty on any item for which waiver was obtained, which was not used for the purpose stated-in this case, for Sports festival." The Customs representatives said Coscharis lied to
the Ministry of Finance and NSA, making them to
believe that the cars were for Lagos state
government, for the National Sports festival. The
NSA office issued End User certificate without
knowing that it was doing so for cars to be delivered to Stella Oduah or the NCAA.
First Bank fails to explain why it granted a
loan of N643 million instead of N564 million.
First Bank official, Seyi Oyefeso, that oversaw the transaction addressed, the Committee on behalf of the Executive Director of the Bank.
As a result of a public tender, on 21 May, 2013, First Bank granted a loan facility of N643 million for purchase of assorted cars, Oyefeso said.
First Bank representative further said that the
armoured BMWs were not part of the first order from NCAA which comprised mainly Land Cruisers totaling less than N600 million.
House chair, Nkiruka Onyejeocha asked the Bank
if it could so that the BMWs were an afterthought, on what Oyefeso replied that this was NCAA to answer.
First Bank, however, cannot explain how the loan
given to NCAA for all its 54 cars climbed from earlier stated N564 to N643 million. Bank's official claimed the bank was only concerned about what the NCAA as a customer asked for, adding "Our job as financier are based on what the customers are asking for."
Coscharis (was) ready to explain to (them how) they arrived at the price.
As First Bank asked to step aside, Coscharis chief, Cosmas Maduka, takes over. Maduka calls the car scandal a "politically motivated" controversy. To highlight the importance of the matter under consideration, Maduka reveals that although his Uncle died and will be buried tomorrow, but he has to attend the hearing.
He said he was ready prepared to give details how Coscharis arrived at the price.
Coscharis official: To the best of my knowledge,
we followed all due process. We were
interviewed by SSS. We were interviewed by
the National Security Adviser. Every due process by law was followed. "We do business with morality," he adds.
Another Coscharis official: Armoured cars are in
levels; Level B7 is the highest for any civilian/
VIP armoured cars.
Coscharis: The controversial cars are level B7.
The BMW 760 series, bought by NCAA, goes for
418 thousand Euro from factory without shipping cost, taxes, etc.
Coscharis admits telling the Ministry of Finance/NSA the cars were meant for Lagos state government, but said the arrangement was a usual "sponsor practice" for an event like the sports festival.
The company insists it did not lie, saying that during events the company gives cars for use by government, in exchange for waivers that would be used for importing new ones as replacement. Coscharis said its price was right.
Lawmakers, however, have refuted that claim by
revealing that the firm sent different prices to NCAA and NSA.
Coscharis also further claims the car in question
goes for about N87.7 million(factory price) without tax, shipping etc. But a lawmaker has confirmed that he received a quotation from an American firm for the same car for about N42 million.
"Your own bullet proof is not manufactured in
the moon," Jerry Manwe ( a member), stated.
Coscharis replied hat a seven series in America is
different from what they got from Europe.
House of Reps Committee say the cars they
inspected yesterday are different from those
stated in the documents between Coscharis
and NCAA.
The House of Reps Committee says the cars they
inspected yesterday, on Tuesday, are not the cars
stated in the documents between NCAA and
Coscharis. Specifically, the cars they saw had
different chassis number.
But Coscharis said since it did not inspect the cars with the House members, it cannot say whether that was the car they delivered to NCAA. The firm insists it has done no wrong.

Stelle Oduah "stuck" on her way from Israel to
Nigeria?
The Committee said it has received information that the Minister is on transit - likely from Israel - and will arrive Nigeria later today. Oduah has asked to appear Thursday afternoon, but the Committee said she has to be in attendance in the morning by 10am on Thursday as the Committee must complete its work on Thursday.
We will keep you updated...

http://www.gistexpress.com/2013/10/30/stella-oduah-absent-from-house-hearing-nsa-ncaa-coscharis-first-bank-customs-under-fire/

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/147512-stella-oduah-armoured-car-scandal-house-committee-hearing-live-updates.html

http://www.naij.com/news/50987.html

Looks to me like a deal that although wasteful , went through all the due processes required. With the testimony given, it would be hard to press corruption charges here. And to the lawmaker who say he got a quotation for 42 million for the same car from America, my question is what the heck does he Need that car for as a house of repper.

So Lagos state got 300 cars for national sports festival. Omo see wastage oh? And seriously why do all these governments have to buy new cars every year. Is the lifespan of a car 1 year? What happened to all the cars that wee bought last year?

The fools, we all know them, will flood this thread cursing Sahara Reporters.

They followed due process to conceal the fraud. But with questions coming daily, everything is leaking.

"Once you lie, you will many more lies to cover the previous lie" - Egift of Nairaland

Some of the lies already executed, many more planned:
- They denied the report when SR first hinted it.
- Another lie, when SR included copies of the original document (that it is for the minister's security).
- When it was established it can through NCAA, Stella lied it was budgeted for.
- When the actual budget for cars were revealed to be N240m, the now state the payment is meant for 30months (she is spending next year yet to be-budget TODAY)
- During importation Stella and his gang lied and used the name of Lagos State for a car - which was proposed, approved, bought, paid and delivered to Miss Stella.
- They also lied to collect waiver on import and custom duty charges by substituting names and purpose of the cars.
- They lied on the value and cost of the cars (it is now a fact that there are many places the cars could have been bought for less).

PapaBrowne: Looks to me like a deal that although wasteful , went through all the due processes required. With the testimony given, it would be hard to press corruption charges here. And to the lawmaker who say he got a quotation for 42 million for the same car from America, my question is what the heck does he Need that car for as a house of repper.

Did you consider approval limits of the Minister? Who gave the approval to purchase the N255m cars? What of inflation of the prices? Were the cars budgeted for? What about the lies on the waiver and End User Certificate?

PapaBrowne:

So Lagos state got 300 cars for national sports festival. Omo see wastage oh? And seriously why do all these governments have to buy new cars every year. Is the lifespan of a car 1 year? What happened to all the cars that wee bought last year?

The purchase of 300 cars was senseless, wasteful and annoying considering the level of suffering in Nigeria. I can't fathom what the silly justification would be. Honestly, the level of mindless looting that's going on in the states is mind-boggling.

What's President Jonathan's blueprint to deal with such flagrant waste in the system?

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