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No management contract with Rivers to operate aircraft – Caverton

By on May 20, 2013

Caverton Helicopters has told  the House of Representative Committee on Aviation, and its counterpart on Justice that they had no management contract with Rivers State government to operate its aircraft and consequently could not have been under pressure to disown it over the aircraft.

Caverton had reacted to the House Committees  request to supply information concerning  the Bombadier aircraft,  Global Express 5000/Registration N565RS , allegedly belonging to the Rivers State government. by telling the committees that they were in no position to supply any information.

They  admitted that they had initial contacts with the Rivers State government with a view to helping it import an aircraft, but when the deal fell through, the company seized further contact and communication with the state government as far back as August 2012  when the aircraft Management Company, ACASS of Canada told them that they ‘’were no longer responsible for the management of the said aircraft.’’

Communication between Caverton and Virginie Puisais of Eurocontrol clearly shows that Caverton had dissociated itself from the Rivers State government as far back as 5th Febuary, 2013, two months before controversy over the aircraft started in Akure Airport in  27th, April, when the plane was delayed in taking off to Port-Harcourt with the state governor, Rotimi Ameachi., on board. The pilot failed to file the flight manifest on time, and when it was eventually done, the plane took off to Port-Harcourt.

So, Caverton maintains there is no way it can be under pressure in April to disown the Rivers State government. According to Caverton ‘’ There is a mail from Jide Nigwo, a member of staff of Caverton Helicopters to Virginie Puisais of Eurocontrol disclaiming liability for aircraft  registration N656RS charges and redirecting enquires on the billing to Captain Tosin Odulaja, the Rivers State government contact’’

Caverton also tendered a mail to the House Committees showing that it no longer had business control over the aircraft. ‘’ Copy of mail of 5th February , 2013, from Capt Tosin Odulaja to Virginie

Puisais of Eurocontrol requesting that invoice for navigation charges on the RVSG aircraft N656RS  be forwarded to him ‘’ was presented.

In a reply to request for information about the aircraft, Caverton told the Committees on Aviation and Justice that  ‘’ In response to your enquiry. Please note that to date our organization has had no formal contact with Rivers State government with respect to the operations of the aforesaid aircraft. We never received a mandate written or otherwise, neither did we enter into any management contract of any sort with the Rivers State  government.’’

‘’In the light of this, we are unable to provide any information on the aircraft, its documentation, compliance with aviation laws and regulations,notices of violation or non-compliance to regulations of Federal aviation authorities ‘’

In its final submission, Caverton said ‘’We have not had any dealings WHATSOEVER with the said aircraft neither have we given any approvals, tacit or otherwise to any third parties to seek or obtain Clearances on behalf of the owners of the aircraft’’,  It is also alleged that ‘’ Caverton discovered that its name and letterhead had been used by Rivers and its agents to apply for clearance permit since January 2013.

Caverton insists those letters were forged. The last of such letter was signed on March 26, 2013 and was signed by one Adeniyi Makanjuola, who signed as operations officer. Whereas the title of Mr. Adeniyi Makanjuola is Executive Vice Chairman. ‘’

 

 

[Vanguard]