The chopper was recalled to the airport for normal clearance but it was gathered that after the exercise preparatory for take-off, the pilot, Captain James Manahash of the Philippines, was told that the plane belonging to OAS Helicopters won’t be granted clearance to fly.
Oshiomhole was said to have been left inside the chopper for almost 1 hour and, when it was obvious that he could not be allowed to fly, the trip was aborted.
A visibly angry Oshiomhole refused to talk but entered his official car and headed for his home town Iyamoh.
In his reaction, the Benin Airspace acting manager, who simply identified himself as Okolie, said, “I don’t have anything for you. If anyone said his aircraft was grounded by us, ask him why.”
The Aviation Ministry said yesterday that the helicopter conveying the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, was not grounded, but only asked to obey extant rules.
The coordinating manager, Information and Communications for Aviation Parastatals, Yakubu Datti, said the aircraft was only called back to fill its manifest and make some payments which the pilot had failed to do.
“The helicopter picked the governor from Government House in Benin. By procedure, the pilot was supposed to file manifest and all other procedures, but because these were not done before take-off, NAMA called them down to do all those things.
“Of course you cannot just pick someone up and fly over the airport just like that,” Datti said
Speaking to newsmen, Capt. Manahash said, “I was surprised that I was recalled after taking off from Government House because I had communicated with the control tower on radio. We were already airborne when we got the call to return to the airport and even threatened that failure to do so would lead to complete grounding of the aircraft. The governor prevailed on me to return and listen to them.
“When we got back to the airport, I was told to pay landing and aerodrome fees which ordinarily we could pay later because we were already airborne. Even after completion of the process of payment within 10 minutes, we were still delayed for 1 hour 15 minutes, with the governor still seated and thereafter he left in anger. I am surprised by this development because this is not the first time I would be coming to Benin to fly the governor.
“I was even threatened after payment that the aircraft would be grounded completely if I argued with them. I have flown for 35 years, seven of which I spent in Nigeria and this is the first time I am encountering a situation like this. I did not know what problem they have with the governor,” Manahash said.
The special adviser (media) to the governor, Kassim Afegbua, said the development could be linked to the presidency, noting that they wanted to “visit Amaechi’s treatment on Governor Oshiomhole”.
Afegbua alleged that the incident was connected to the ongoing alleged onslaught against governors believed to have played a role in the re-election of Governor Amaechi as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
The managing director of OAS Helicopters, Mr Everest Nnaji, who was contacted, expressed shock over the incident, saying, “I am still making calls to find out exactly why they did not allow the pilot fly the helicopter conveying the governor to Anambra State. I am really angry. I don’t know why they did that and that is why I am still trying to make contact because we have no problems with NAMA.”
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Those who live in glass house do not throw stones...
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