‘They Must Be Diamond-plated’ – Oby Ezekwesili Slams Sirika Over N12 Billion Fire Trucks

Former Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili has slammed the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, for spending over N12 billion on firefighting trucks.

Naija News reported that Sirika disclosed that the federal government spent a whopping sum of N12 billion to acquire the firefighting trucks for the three international airports in the country.

In a tweet via his official Twitter handle on Sunday, Sirika said he commissioned the ten firefighting trucks for the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN), adding that the agency had not bought firefighting trucks in 15 years.

He said the newly acquired firefighting vehicles have been deployed to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, and Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.

Reacting to the development via her Twitter handle on Monday, Ezekwesili said the fire trucks must be diamond-plated for them to be so expensive, wondering why each truck cost almost $2.4 million.

The former minister requested more information about the trucks and offered to do a public due process review of the procurement.

She wrote “Hmmm. These fire trucks must be diamond-plated within and without, Mr Minister @hadisirika! At the official @cenbank exchange rate, each truck cost almost $2.4 million. How?

“Now I know why some of your folks deride the Due Process-Public Procurement reforms. I get it now. Minister @hadisirika, in furtherance of the Open Governments program which your @NigeriaGov administration signed to, please share the full specification details of the fire trucks procured.

“I volunteer to do a Public Due Process review of this transaction for you. Let’s do it.

“No matter what we see; no matter the depth of the strange things that happen in our country, Nigeria; let’s resolve to never be wearied nor discouraged in our fight for a good society.

“How can we allow those who don’t want a good society to wear us out? Naaaa… God forbid. I must confess that there were days I felt exhausted and discouraged in this constant fight for a decent society, especially in the last decade.

“Thank God the grace of God always caught me in those moments. That same grace shall abound to all who want a good Nigeria.”