Bi-Courtney  says  FAAN owes it N200billion — denies N14 billion debt claim by Minister

Chinazor Megbolu

The Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos Terminal Two (MMA2), had said  the organisation does not owe the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) N14 billion as alleged by govenment.

 The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the aviation company owed FAAN N14 billion.

“If you’re owing government, you are owing FAAN, the Bi-Courtney is owing about N14 billion as at the last count.

“It has not paid a single dime since the time he started to run the terminal building. And we have not ceased giving him, electricity, water, fire cover, and so on and so forth. He hasn’t paid a dime for 13 years,” Sirika said.

The Group Corporate Affairs Manager, Bi-Courtney, Mr. Mikail Mumuni, told newsmen the minister’s claim was false.

He explained further that FAAN actually owed the company over N200 billion.

“On the contrary, it is FAAN that owes Bi-Courtney over N200 billion by depriving it of its legitimate earnings over the past 14 years,” he said.

Mumuni, however, posited that the debt arose by FAAN opening and operating the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), which started competing with BASL with government money in the running of the domestic terminal in a flagrant breach of the concession agreement.

According to Mumuni; “BASL in line with the dispute resolution process contained in the agreement had an arbitration award in its favour. It also got the judgement of a High Court, six Court of Appeal judgements and a Supreme Court judgement, all in its favour and sustained the monetary award”.

He averred the courts ruled that any debt that may be alleged against BASL by FAAN should be deducted from the credit judgement after due verification.

He maintained that the N14 billion debt mentioned by Sirika was totally inconsistent with the demand by FAAN, the body which has been liaising with BASL.

“Their last demand was about N1bn which was promptly responded to by BASL, stating categorically that there was no such debt.

“We believe that the  Minister was not properly briefed by FAAN as we also pay our electricity bills as and when due. We equally provide elaborate security at the terminal which has continued to attract commendation from stakeholders,” Mumuni said