ABUJA- The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Felix Hyet, has said President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration was committed to ensuring safety in the nation’s airports.

Hyet said this while testifying before the Senate Committee probing the nation’s transportation sector.

“Since the present administration came in, steps have been taken to ensure safety standard and improve security situation in our airports.

“The believe is that once this issues are addressed, the nation will achieve the desire results in the areas of investment and confidence in the sector,” he said.

Hyet said the parastatal agencies, under the aviation sector generated N183.8 billion between 1999 and 2007.

He said of the amount, N172.9 billion was expended while the balance was remitted to the government treasury.

Hyet also said N47.7 billion was appropriated and that only N22.6 billion was released to the Ministry of Aviation between 1999 and 2007.

Meanwhile, Sen. Heinekan Lokpobiri, the Committee Chairman, has directed the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Richard Asisuebeogun to produce details of allocation to it from 1999 to date.

Also, Asisuebeogun is to provide details of the contracts awarded and the revenue generated by FAAN within the period.

Reports say that Lokpobiri’s committee gave the directive following Asisuebeogun’s inability to explain the releases, allocation, IGR and remittance made by FAAN into the Federation account.

“Eight managing director were appointed in eight years leading to instability in the operations of the airport authority,’’ he said.

Both the Managing Director of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Rector of Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), have testified before the committee.

The Rector of NCAT, Mr. Adebayo Araba, had put the total appropriation to the college at N10.8 billion and the releases made to it from 1999 to date at N8.3 billion.