The Auditor-General for the Federation has flagged N686 million spent by the Ministry of Aviation for control towers and firearms without sufficient evidence of delivery or completed work.
The findings, contained in the recent audit report, indicate that the ministry lacked the necessary documentation to verify three separate payments. These discrepancies suggest a failure to follow standard procurement and financial protocols required for the disbursement of public funds.
The audit specifically identified gaps in the evidence of supply for critical aviation assets, including control towers and firearms. The absence of these records raises concerns regarding the oversight of procurement processes intended to ensure the safety and security of the country’s aviation infrastructure.
Procurement and documentation lapses
The report details how the ministry failed to provide satisfactory proof for three major payments totalling N686 million. According to the Auditor-General, the lack of documentation meant there was no verifiable trail to confirm that the goods were received or that the services were actually performed.
The audit noted that the ministry did not present necessary work certificates, delivery notes, or other essential procurement documents. These items are mandatory under Nigerian financial regulations to ensure that government contractors have fulfilled their contractual obligations before payment is finalised.
The items involved in the irregular payments are highly sensitive. Aviation control towers are fundamental to the management of air traffic and the prevention of flight accidents, while firearms are critical to the security of airports and aviation personnel. The inability to confirm the receipt of such equipment poses a potential risk to the integrity of aviation safety and security operations.
While the report does not explicitly categorise the expenditure as theft, the lack of accountability regarding these high-value assets points to significant weaknesses in the ministry’s internal control mechanisms. The Auditor-General’s findings indicate that the payment process for these items did not meet the required standards for transparency and verification.
The Ministry of Aviation has not yet provided a formal response to the audit queries. The next step involves the ministry addressing the gaps identified by the Auditor-General to explain the missing documentation or to facilitate the recovery of funds if the supplies cannot be verified.
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