Ministers fingered in another plane purchase scam

...Plane cost FCFA 7billion, they paid FCFA 34billion.

Robet Nkili, Minister of Transport must have thought he was being grilled before the House of Commons. But it was not. It was Cameroon’s nascent democracy in display in a mild way in the glass house. And after that grilling, Nkili must certainly be expecting a phone call from either CONAC or the Supreme State Audit – two anti-corruption agencies charged with fighting embezzlement of public funds.

It was ‘Commoner’ Jean Michel Nintcheu, Wouri SDF Member of Parliament, who led the charge that has very obviously left the minister pondering about chances of a prison term in the dreaded Kondengue prison. According to Nintcheu, the Minister and his collaborators staged a scam during negotiations leading to the purchase of two Chinese aero planes by the Cameroon government in 2011.

Nintcheu, who is also SDF regional chairman for the Littoral made the revelation while he interrogated the minister during a question and answer session that took place at the national assembly on Thursday June 26. Negotiations to purchase the planes took place in 2011, but they were eventually bought without an offer for tenders.

Nintcheu questioned the minister why the government spent 34billion FCFA to purchase two Chinese MA.60 aero planes when the actual cost of each plane supposed to have been 5.6 billion FCFA . He stated that the Republic of Congo, which was a party to the negotiations obtained the same aircrafts at a total cost of 7billion FCFA, including costs of spare parts, training of local technicians, interests and maintenance cost for an indefinite period.

Nintcheu drew the attention of Robert Nkili - the minister, to the fact that he had earlier indicated in an address at the assembly that the government spent a total of 31 billion FCFA for the purchase of the plane, including costs of spare parts and training of Camair-co technicians.

Nintcheu sought to get clarifications on the outstanding 20billion. He said he doubts whether that was the only amount that went into the pockets of those who were members of the commission that negotiated for the purchase of the planes which he described as “of dubious quality.”

The MP not only pointed an accusing finger at the transport minister, and the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, but also at members of the commission who were selected from the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office. “What’s worse is that you people were not satisfied with enriching yourselves off taxpayer's money. You deliberately put the lives of Cameroonians in danger by purchasing planes which experts have described as flying coffins.

You put the lives of passengers and personnel at risk as well as the lives of citizens on the ground each time those planes are used.” He said the MA-60 airplanes can be compared to the Russian Iliochine and Tupolev planes which were boycotted by many airliners and banned from some airspace.

A seemingly confused Robert Nkilli simply played Pontus Pilate. He said it is true that the Congolese government obtained the planes at a cheaper cost, but said that he is not aware of the financial negotiations that went on between those who negotiated for Cameroon.

Nkilli said he is only a user of the planes and is not concerned with the purchase and that the SDF MP should question the individuals who took part in the financial talks. His response, however, did not appear convincing to the parliamentarians.

Nintcheu’s interrogation adds credence to a proposal which earlier was deposited at the national assembly by another SDF MP, Joshua Osih, requesting a parliamentary inquiry into the purchase of the planes.

Reports say the Minister of Transport had claimed in 2012 that the Chinese company, AVIC International Holding was going to “generously” offer three aeroplanes to Cameroon at the price of two, and that the third one was going to be handed to the Ministry of Defence for the armed forces.

The deal which now appears shady was sealed by the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi. He signed the 34.4billion FCFA convention with the Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon. The convention was to enable the government to obtain the two MA-60 planes that were later handed to CAMAIR- CO.