We are not indebted to FAAN, says Bi-Courtney

Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport two (MMA2), says it is not indebted to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The company said this in reaction to the claim that it is owing the agency N2 billion.

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) reportedly said this at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday.

In a statement by Steve Omolale, spokesman of the company, Bi-Courtney said it decided to respond to “prevent the unions from misleading the public”.

“We have decided to respond. Bi-Courtney is not indebted to FAAN. On the contrary, it is FAAN and the federal government that are indebted to Bi-Courtney for an amount now in excess of N200 billion,” the statement read.

“One hundred and thirty-two billion naira out of this sum was confirmed by a court of competent jurisdiction in 2012 in the case of Bi-Courtney Ltd vs. AG Federation (FHC/ABJ/CS/50/2009).

“Contrary to the clear provisions of the concession agreement, the coordinating committee set up by the attorney-general of the federation and the decision of the court of law, FAAN continues to operate the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) which belongs to Bi-Courtney thus depriving BASL of over 50% of its revenue. This is a very poor advertisement for any nation seeking to attract private capital for development.

“The unions are aware of this position but have chosen to fabricate irresponsible falsehoods in a bid to discredit BASL and mislead the public. Fortunately, the public is more discerning. It is common knowledge that the aforementioned Unions (NUATE, ATSSAN and NUP) actually challenged the Concession Agreement in Court and lost the case in Appeal No. CA/A/141/M/2009.”

The company wondered why the unions are “seeking to undermine the decision of a federal court”.

“There is no better time to remind the Unions that Nigeria is a country of laws and all citizens are bound by the laws of the country,” the statement read.

“We at MMA2 are very proud that we run the most efficient Airport Terminal in Nigeria. We have demonstrated clearly that, if given the opportunity, a Nigerian company is capable of delivering exceptional services, particularly in the provision critical infrastructure. Given that we operate on 5% of the revenue of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, our achievements over the years are deserving of commendation from all quarters.”