The Cross River State Government has denied a controversial aircraft lease agreement that was recently brought to light. Last June, the government announced the cancellation of the agreement regarding the operation of the state’s owned commercial plane, which was being managed by Aero Contractors. In a surprising move, the lease manager of the Boeing 737-300 aircraft, known as Cally Air, was reassigned to a company called Melers Global Resources. However, it has been discovered that Melers Global Resources, a company focused on crop and animal production, hunting, and related services, may not have the technical capacity to manage the aircraft.
The state government was quick to point out that the engagement of Melers Global Resources violated provisions of the state’s procurement law. Despite this revelation, the government has budgeted over N18 billion for Cally Air since 2019, and this year alone, over N1 billion has been allocated for the rehabilitation of the airline, with an additional N5 billion earmarked for another aircraft.
Following the release of the press statement by the state government, questions were raised about the competence of Melers Global Resources as a lease manager for Cally Air. Eric Akpanke Atuo, a former director at the company, denied any knowledge of the deal with the state. He clarified that their proposal was minuted by the governor to the Secretary to the State Government, who went ahead to publish it. Atuo also revealed that he has since resigned from the company.
In response to these allegations, the Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, denied entering into a contractual agreement with Melers Global Resources. He categorically stated that he did not issue the press statement bearing his name and signature. However, further investigation revealed that the press statement was indeed issued by his office.
Given the conflicting statements and the lack of clarity surrounding the agreement, citizens are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter. Richard Inoyo, the Country Director of Citizens Solution Network, emphasized the need to look into the company’s registration, the competence of its directors, and the veracity of the documents bearing government officials’ signatures. Inoyo suggested involving law enforcement agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Services to ensure a comprehensive investigation.
A senior management staff member at Aero, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that Aero is still in charge of Cally Air. However, he stated that the decision to temporarily suspend flights from Calabar was made by management and did not provide a specific timeline for when flights would resume.
In conclusion, the Cross River State Government has categorically denied the controversial aircraft lease agreement that was brought to light. The involvement of Melers Global Resources as the new lease manager of Cally Air has raised questions about their technical capacity and compliance with procurement laws. As citizens demand an investigation into the matter, it remains to be seen how the government will respond and address the concerns raised by this incident.
