From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) has directed airlines in the country to explain how they utilised N4 billion COVID-19 intervention funds they received from government within one week.
Its chairman, Bamidele Salam, who gave the ultimatum at an investigative hearing, said the airlines should be prepared to refund the money to coffers of the federal government, if they cannot account for the expenditure.
The panel decried the inability of the airlines, and the officials of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, to provide satisfactory explanations on how the money was expended.
A member of the Committee, Ojuawo Adeniyi had faulted the submissions by the airlines, stating that the services operators claimed to have offered during the COVID-19 pandemic
were applicable only during the regular operations.
Consequently, another member of the Committee, Akiba Bassey moved a motion that the amount involved should be refunded to the Federation account, in the event that the airlines fails to give justify the expenditure.
The motion was unanimously supported by members of the committee.