Inability of the Cross River state ministry of aviation to make withdrawals from funds deposited in one of the new generation banks (name withheld) to facilitate insurance payment which is set to expire on Friday, August 27, is threatening to ground the Cross River state-owned Cally Air.
Making this known in Calabar while baricading in protest entrance to the said bank, the State Commissioner for Aviation, Rt Hon Jake Otu Enyia, said the bank was deliberately trying to frustrate Cally Air by making it impossible for the ministry to withdraw monies deposited therein.
“We have been here since last week trying to withdraw our money from this Bank. They keep telling us come tomorrow and all that.
“We took this action because we need the money for the servicing of our Aircraft and to complete the renewal of our insurance, otherwise our Aircrafts will be grounded.
“The ministry is not asking for loan, we came to withdraw our money and nobody is telling us why we cannot withdraw our money,” Enya, who was backed by many of his staff, said.
Enyia explained to Journalists that the state government has an account with the said bank and that the money the ministry was seeking to withdraw was for maintenance of the two Cally Air aircrafts and to complete insurance payment.
Wondering why the bank was allegedly playing what he refered to as double standard, the Commissioner said, “We are not going to allow anybody to come out of the Bank until our money is paid. We are not going anywhere and nobody is going home today.”
