Another reason to check the excesses of those (S)elected into public offices early enough. Until the citizens realize that the power lies with them and take back control, nothing will change. it is curious though that all these issues are now cropping up now that Amechi has fallen out of favour with GEJ. Lets see how this plays out.

Omo_Tier1:
Isit now you want to quote the bible? I am even surprised at your comment about the purchase of the jet. Peter Odili bought a jet for Rivers State government and Amaechi sold it off and use part of the money to buy a better jet that cost less to maintain. The jet in question belongs to Rivers State government and not Amaechi and is being used by Rivers State government for both private hie and business functions.

If Rivers State can afford it, I see nothing wrong in them having it. However the crux of the matter is not the jet per say, it is GEJ' cowardly act in hunting Amaechi because He holds an aspiration to become a VP. Come 2015. When has it become a crime for any one to have an aspiration? Or has the constitution now prevent people from doing so?

So on point don't knw why ppl are hating on Amaechi, the same ppl that are clamouring for GEJ to contest for 2nd term because its constitutional right are now saying Amaechi shouldn't pursue his personal ambition why? Bunch of hypocrites.

Rotimi Amaechi is a political hypocrite.How can he be joining the opposition to fight his party Leader?I won't be suprised if he fails to complete his tenure as d Gov of Rivers state.He is such an ingrate and a political disaster waiting to happen!

They now complain because they've fallen victim to what the "Mouthless masses" have been going through. This is just the very beginning. They should even thank their gods that it was even released that day and stop making a hell of worthless noise.

[quote author=tpia@]

he should just be thanking God because he doesnt know what the devil had in store for him as regards all this flying to and fro.all is this related to politics?

Is anyone here having access to Gov Amechi he better be told to tread softly lest he be given the Bola Ige / Azazi treatment never doubt if Jonathan can do that

If the arguement is about Amechi globe trotting at the expense of Rivers state people, then I support the grounding of the plane.However, Jonathan is equally guilty of the same offence, he recently acquired 2 new falcon jets while Nigerians have continued to die on the death traps called roads.

However, I detest GEJ's tendency to be high handed against his critics while handling his thieving friends with kid gloves. 2 Leadership journalist detained over what they said about good governance jamboree. $40m contract awarded to isreal company to sniff on our internet activities. But he will rather grant Alams pardon, Police will rather claim they dont know Maina's whereabout only for him to resurface once he got the court rulling that House of Reps can not get pension thieve him arrested. Not to mention pension and subsidy thieves which none of them is in jail today.

Those that voted for Jonathan becauase he is humble now know that they were sold a dummy, this guy no humble anything.

Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. U never see anything,this na just signs of wht will befall you before this year runs out. Useless arrogant governor,farmer wey God help dey assume.

Our electricity is been grounded since time immemorial and Gov. Amechi is not showing any concern as the chairman of NGF, who does he want to help him on private jet issue, those that board commercial buses or those that trek a distance of 10Miles with rubber slippers?

Ok, let him take the case to court, at least that would keep his lawyer busy or is he paid for nothing?
In Obasonjo word. . . . I dey laugh ooooh!!!

Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. U never see anything,this na just signs of wht will befall you before this year runs out. Useless arrogant governor,farmer wey God help dey assume.

Ask alams,sylvia,orji kalu,what happened to them when they dared the president. And yes even atiku sef. Eddiot

ifihearam: Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. U never see anything,this na just signs of wht will befall you before this year runs out. Useless arrogant governor,farmer wey God help dey assume.

Foolish Governor, dis one na small compare to what awaits u and ur greedy wife that has fleed the country to hide ur ill gotten wealth. how i wish u could ask ibori how ill luck met him and his family.

Igwe.:
Our electricity is been grounded since time immemorial and Gov. Amechi is not showing any concern as the chairman of NGF, who does he want to help him on private jet issue, those that board commercial buses or those that trek a distance of 10Miles with rubber slippers?

Ok, let him take the case to court, at least that would keep his lawyer busy or is he paid for nothing?
In Obasonjo word. . . . I dey laugh ooooh!!!

W̶̲̥̅̊e̶̲̥̅̊t̶̲̥̅̊i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ D̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ make u laugh? Allow d man enjoy himself; na him time!

100%:
It's TIME we re-focus, re-engineer and re-align our efforts resources, physically mentally spiritually and otherwise

We need a revolution
What is a revolution
What and how do we want Nigeria to be
What do we stand to gain
How do we go about revolution
What are risks
How do we handle the risk
How do we sustain the revolution
How will the coordination be

In history most tyrants, oppresors ascent to power aftermath of popular revolutions.
Be careful what you wish for.

But, how come that Amaechi is so forgetful? Or has he failed to realise the enormous powers of the president? I have very strong believe that he ( Ameachi ) is destiny to go down shamefully since he is a very proud individual unless he turns back immediately and appeal for forgiveness from jona.
Or let us see how arrogancy will help him this time.

That Ameachi of a guy is very funny. He better back down and beg JEG or else Diya's style won't work in a matter of months from now. This same guy that could afford to buy a Bombardia jet told the whole world that the flood overwhelmed Rivers state and they have no money to take care of flood victims early this year. The man is a big disappointment. It's when they fall out in mainstream politics that they scream blue-murder. Ameachi! You better learn from Sylvia, Alams, Diya, Ibori, etc. Abi, him fit swear say hin no thief Rivers state money? IBB wey dey back am and all those useless northern politrickcians go dump his a**se as soon as the tide change soon. Tinubu na businessman, hin go settle with JEG when the dice is thrown. Buhari and his blood-sucking BH should go and sit down. He CANNOT be president of Nigeria! He's old and tire and frustrated!You don't blackmail a nation with violent and terror just so you can become president. APC looks like BH party self with all of them majority MUSLIM. Northern muslim party and South-West muslim party. Abi who can give me 30% of Lagos state govt decision maker that are Christian? SW BH!

koruji: You people are born slaves.
This is your reaction to the obvious excesses of the megalomaniacs in power.
I recall how Beaf was all over here praising GEJ's excellent police for deporting Nigerians on their way to Abuja for no reason than they were members of the opposition.
No worry, let GEJ keep this up he is preparing his bed at kirikiri!!!

Ma guy, it serves him amaechi right. U don't dance with the masquerade and expect not be touched by his juju.

pro01:

If we're talking about using state resources to prosecute political battles, or talking about 'silly autocracy' for that matter, then I suppose OBJ is already serving his life sentence in Kirikiri, right? Or I'm I missing something?

Yes ooo,you are missing something cos the person that will put them there is coming or do you think obj will not go back to prison again?

Billyonaire: Hahahahaahaha, You never start! When the masses are scrambling on how to catch a night bus to their destinations, Amaechi is going to Press to re-enact how his Jet was grounded. Is he searching for love amongst the masses or the Presidency he cunningly runs parallel ? Your wahala never start. Learn from Sylvia and Alams. There are 2 entities you can not fight- The Gods and Government.

Coming from a blind supporter of GEJ, this is disgraceful. GEJ is the worst President in the entire world when it comes to the notion of insensitive largesse while the masses suffer. GEJ , comparatively, has the most bloated fleet of aircrafts in the world. Some leaders of developed Countries have only one or even none !!! Yet how many does your own President have for you to round on Amaechi hypocritically like this?

Read below to note your sort have no shame. The best you could have done, when you are the supporter of a leader easy to ridicule for his nauseating and callous profligacy, is to shut up and say nothing against others when it comes to the topic of the insensitive and unacceptable squandering of a nation's wealth. If Nigeria continue to produce your sort as "youths" then she has no hope at all.

http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-spends-n9bn-annually-on-10-aircraft-presidential-fleet/

FG spends N9bn annually on 10-aircraft presidential fleet

DECEMBER 5, 2012 BY OYETUNJI ABIOYE


INFORMATION obtained from government aviation agencies and airline operators has revealed that President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration spends an estimated N9.08bn annually on the Presidential Air Fleet.

[size=14pt]PAF has the third largest fleet of aircraft in the country. According to findings, the PAF contains a total of 10 aircraft, coming closely behind Aerocontractors Airlines, which has a total of 14 aircraft.

Arik Air, the largest commercial airline in the country, has a fleet of 23 aircraft.[/size]

Figures obtained from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority revealed that N9.08bn is spent to maintain the 10 presidential jets every year.

The PAF include two Falcon 7X jets, two Falcon 900 jets, Gulfstream 550, one Boeing 737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One), and Gulfstream IVSP.

Others are one Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation 2 aircraft and Hawker Siddley 125-800 jet.

Cost of running fleet

According to a former Minister of Information, Professor, Dora Akunyili, each of the two Falcon 7X jets purchased in 2010 cost $51.1m, while the Gulfstream 550 costs $53.3m.

The factory price of other aircraft in the fleet could not be easily obtained online. However, airline CEOs put the average price of Falcon 900 at $35m, Gulfstream IVSP as $40m, Gulfstream V at $45m, Boeing 737 BBJ at $58m, Cessna Citation is $7m and Hawker Siddley 125-800 at $15m.

This brings a combined estimated value of Nigeria’s PAF to $390.5m (N60.53bn).

According to airline chief executives and industry experts, airlines spend between 15 and 20 per cent of the cost of an aircraft on its operation yearly. They say that averagely, a little less than one-fifth of the cost of the plane is spent every year on insurance, flight and cabin crew, maintenance, fuelling, catering and training.

Going by the fact that at least 15 per cent of this amount is spent annually on operating the PAF, it means about $58.57m (N9.08bn ) is spent annually on running the planes .

Nigeria happens to be one of few countries of the world with a large PAF.

Other countries’ fleets

[b]Most major countries in Europe and Asia maintain mostly two aircraft in their Presidential Air Fleet, according to Wikipedia.

According to the website, Japan maintains only two Boeing 747-400 planes in its Presidential Air Fleet.

The two aircraft, mostly for the Prime Minister, the Emperor, Empress and other members of the Imperial Family, is operated by the Japan Air Self-Defence Force.

The aircraft were constructed at the Boeing factory at the same time as the United States’ Air Force One. Both Japanese aircraft were delivered in 1990.

Wikipedia also confirms that the Netherlands government operates only two aircraft, one Fokker 70 and one Gulfstream IV, as a means of transport for the Dutch Royal family and government officials, such as the prime minister and other ministers.

They are also used also to attend international conferences, and also for private trips by the Queen and the Prince of Orange.

For long haul trips the Royal Dutch Airline is used. Often the upper deck of a Boeing 747 is used.

The Queen of England and Prime Minister David Cameron often go on British Airways chartered flights for long trips. UK’s Cameron was recently criticised by the UK media for chartering a foreign plane instead of a British’s.

According to Wikipedia, The Royal Squadron of the Royal Air Force maintains a fleet of Agusta A109 helicopters, BAE-125 mid-sized business jet and BAE-146 regional airliner to support short travel by the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and senior members of the British Government.

[size=15pt]Countries like Ghana, Algeria and a host of others in Europe maintain only one aircraft in their PAF.[/size][/b]

Domestic airlines

The latest revelation on Nigeria’s PAF size is coming amid dearth of aircraft among domestic airlines, which lack adequate finance to buy more planes to meet up with the soaring domestic passenger capacity.

Apart from Arik Air and Aero, each of the remaining domestic airlines does not possess even half of the number of aircraft in the PAF, according to findings by our correspondent.

IRS Airlines has only four operational aircraft in its fleet; Dana Air has four aircraft; Firstnation, three aircraft; and Medview Airlines, two aircraft; figures obtained from the industry revealed.

In recent months, domestic travellers have been scrambling to get air tickets due to lack of capacity on the part of the other local airlines, after the suspension of operations by Dana Air, Air Nigeria and FirstNation Airlines respectively.

Apart from Arik and Aero, most of the domestic airlines fell behind the PAF in terms of the number of aircraft in their fleet.

These include Air Nigeria, Dana Air, IRS Airlines, FirstNation Airlines, Medview Airlines, Overland Airways and Associated Airlines.

Airline CEOs opinions

Some airline CEOs, who pleaded anonymity, raised concerns over the economic sense behind the large mix of brands of aircraft in the President Air Fleet.

They said although the fleet size was large, the cost of operation would have been cheaper if they had maintained only two brands, instead of more.

According to them, the various brands of aircraft in the fleet will cost the Presidency more in terms of money being spent on aircraft maintenance, insurance, engineers, flight and cabin crew among others.

“If you look at the Presidential Fleet, you have at least five different brands of aircraft manufacturers. In that single Presidential Fleet, you have Boeing, Falcons, Gulfstream, Hawker and Cessna: that is not less than four different brands from various countries. I don’t know the economic sense in this. The fleet needs to be streamlined from five to just two brands. The aircraft can’t see each other. It means each of those planes will have its own flight crew, cabin crew, engineers, dispatchers etc. It is a mismatch. The Presidency will be spending more to keep all of them in the skies. Going by airline economics, you spend less when you focus on a single brand or at most two. You will get support from the manufacturers and then you spend less,” the CEO of a domestic airline, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter, told our correspondent.

“Look at IRS, it has only one brand, all its four planes are all from Fokker; look at First Nation, it has only Airbus. All its three planes are all Airbus A319. Look at Dana, all its four planes are all Boeing MD-83s. Look at Aero, It has only Boeing and Bombardier planes, just two brands. That is how to run a fleet of aircraft with economic sense. You don’t need more than two. Globally, it is the same thing. South West Airlines in USA has hundreds of planes and they are all from one single brand, Boeing. I think they need to streamline the fleet to just two brands to minimise the cost of running them. By that, there will be a reduction in the number of the crews they will be using to fly them” the CEO added.

Spokesman for the President, Mr. Reuben Abati, could not be reached for comments on the PAF. Telephone calls made to his telephone line was not picked, while a text message sent was not also replied.



PAF workforce

According to the NAF’s website, PAF’s current staff strength consists of 47 NAF officers, 173 airmen/airwomen and 96 civilian staff, both technical and administrative.

“The operational headquarters of the Fleet is located at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while the administrative personnel are at the Federal Secretariat. The fleet has a liaison office at the Presidential Villa. Flight operations, training, aircraft maintenance and general running of the fleet are funded by the Presidency,” according to the website.

drnoel:
Ma guy, it serves him amaechi right. U don't dance with the masquerade and expect not be touched by his juju.

So if Jonathan want to fight ameachi,why must he hid under NEMA,let him come face to face with ameachi like Obj vs Atiku and face humuliation of his life

deletrue: But, how come that Amaechi is so forgetful? Or has he failed to realise the enormous powers of the president? I have very strong believe that he ( Ameachi ) is destiny to go down shamefully since he is a very proud individual unless he turns back immediately and appeal for forgiveness from jona.
Or let us see how arrogancy will help him this time.

Has obj warn hiz fight against Atiku,babangida aliyu vs Jonathan concerning jonah one term signed agreement,andy uba vs ngige,all these people warn their fight against these people your likes think they are God,you cannot force ameachi to support jonah,remember how ameachi got to office it was against pdp wish,why must they now expect royalty from ameachi? You are a caward,don't think Jonathan iz God ok

Billyonaire: Hahahahaahaha, You never start! When the masses are scrambling on how to catch a night bus to their destinations, Amaechi is going to Press to re-enact how his Jet was grounded. Is he searching for love amongst the masses or the Presidency he cunningly runs parallel ? Your wahala never start. Learn from Sylvia and Alams. There are 2 entities you can not fight- The Gods and Government.

Sir, I know its a mistake, u meant "gods".

i am very sure the airport authorities would have secretly received a pat on their back for doing the biddings of their 'oga @ d top'

slimghost:

You really need to see a shrink sir! Can't make sense out of that crap you posted. Point is, your are a biased,bigoted and hate filled soul.

My friend relax abeg. What's up with all this negativity and insult. The person ur quoting hasn't even insulted you.
Bigot this bigot that...do you even know what the word means?? That perhaps he is on the side of rotimi and not GEJ now makes him a bigot right?
Aren't both parties from the south south. So what's up with all this bigot tantrum your spilling here.
Does any form of opposition to an opinion need to be classified as bigotry?
I J̶̲̥̅̊u̶̲̥̅̊S̤̥̈̊τ̲̣̣̥ tire for you jor.
As far as am concerned, we here in d south south need GEJ and amaechi to get their shi*t together, and stop advertising their dirty laundry in public. They will accomplish more working 2geda than apart.

Wonders, they say, shall never end. Even the shoeless man of yesterday is becoming a Rambo.

Toktee: Has obj warn hiz fight against Atiku,babangida aliyu vs Jonathan concerning jonah one term signed agreement,andy uba vs ngige,all these people warn their fight against these people your likes think they are God,you cannot force ameachi to support jonah,remember how ameachi got to office it was against pdp wish,why must they now expect royalty from ameachi? You are a caward,don't think Jonathan iz God ok

^^^^^ absolute shi>t...
friend, you should worry about yourself (at least learn how to write English).

May God help Rivers State Govt.

Now who shall we believe between both liers

Weselion: I don't understand, start again.

LWKMD. O boy, dis na joke of the month.

Fighting GEJ is fighting THE PRESIDENCY which is an institution made up of several interconnected sectors.... Amaechi should learn fast or else....

Although i seriously dont thing GEJ has any hand in this... what is to be gained by grounding the governors plane

janco: Its time for Gov Amechi to realize that "To toy with power is a dangerous thing"
Only grounding of plan... he is already crying.... more is coming his way:
- Probes on his travels
-- Probes on contract award
-- Probes on his expenses in the past 5 years
.... more and more probes

Finally, maybe , a minor incidence and he is impeached and then chaos everywhere...

Let Amechi be intelligent and go and prostrate before Baba GEJ .... or else... hell will befall him!
The Oracle has spoken!

[/b]NEVER! [b] nothing go happen. If time is not taken I see Amaechi decamping to APC. U think his presence at the late deputy governors funeral and parleying with ACN leaders at the funeral not enough sign. They shouldn't push Amaechi to the wall. GEJ might just be shooting himself on the foot.

Billyonaire: Hahahahaahaha, You never start! When the masses are scrambling on how to catch a night bus to their destinations, Amaechi is going to Press to re-enact how his Jet was grounded. Is he searching for love amongst the masses or the Presidency he cunningly runs parallel ? Your wahala never start. Learn from Sylvia and Alams. There are 2 entities you can not fight- The Gods and Government.

you didn't fail this time around to show how pathetic you can be! smh

THE Nigeria civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Saturday, declared that the controversial aircraft in the service of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State was on illegal operations in the country.

Consequently, the NCAA has grounded the Bombardier-BD 700 Global Express aircraft with registration number N565RS, which the authority said had an expired clearance approval effective 2 April.

Addressing reporters yesterday at the Aviation House, the headquarters of NCAA, the director of airworthiness standards, Mr Benedict Adeyileka, explained that while the aircraft was still operating illegally, it had been sighted in several places, including Owerri and Akure.

The NCAA director said about the incident:” The controversial aircraft on the service of Governor Rotimi Amaechi is operating illegally on the country.

“The aircraft a Bombardier BD 700, Global Express with registration number N565RS, has its clearance approval expired since Tuesday, April 2, 2013. By our records the last flight clearance for this aircraft was approved for operations on Thursday, March 28, 2013 on Accra/Port Harcourt and Accra to terminate on April 2, 2013. With this development, the aircraft has exceeded the extra two days or 48 hours leeway for it to leave the country.

“While still operating illegally, the aircraft has been sighted in several places, including Owerri and Akure. The owner of this aircraft, according to the certificate of registration, is Bank of Utah Trustees of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.”
Meanwhile, As controversy rages on over Friday’s alleged refusal by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to grant Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi’s plane start up to leave the Akure airport, the management of the agency, yesterday, insisted that the development was due to the failure of the pilot of the plane to submit the required manifest of passengers on board and that it was untrue that the plane was grounded by the airspace manager.

Addressing a press conference at the NAMA headquarters, the Managing Director of the agency, Nnamdi Udoh said contrary to the politicisation of the incident, the agency carried out its functions in line with the global aviation standard which he said did not accept any iota of politics.

His words: “By regulation, the manager has no power to clear any aircraft at that time of the day because Akure Airport operates day light operations. Approval must be given through the manager to the tower.

“After the clearance, the pilot must submit the manifest, which the pilot could not provide immediately. Manifest submission is a mandatory requirement before a start-up is granted. Aviation is not politics and we won’t dabble into politics.
But the Chief Press Secretary to Rt Hon. Amaechi, David Iyofor, countered the agency’s claim that the pilot violated operating rules by not filing a flight plan or declaring a manifest, saying “it is indeed most shameful and ludicrous that NAMA and the aviation authorities are now saying that they grounded the Rivers State Government plane because the pilot did not file a flight plan and declare a manifest. That’s a blatant lie; a big fat one at that.”

According to Iyofor, in a statement made available to Sunday Tribune, the Bombardier jet owned by the Rivers State Government, had landed at the airport in Owerri, where his principal had gone for the funeral rites of the younger sister of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha and it was in Owerri that “the pilot of the plane was first tipped off that there is a plot to ground our plane in Owerri.”

He noted that once the plane which conveyed Rt. Hon. Amaechi; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) Asishana Bayo Okauru, Kalabari prince and politician, Prince Tonye Princewill and some aides of the governor touched down in Akure and they left for Ekiti by road, for the burial of the state’s late deputy governor, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, the pilot went to the airport offices to make statutory airport payments and fees, file his flight plan and declare his manifest but was told by the Controller that the plane would not be allowed to leave the airport.

“NAMA and the aviation authorities should explain to Nigerians why an aircraft owned by a state government, that flew the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and a democratically elected governor of a state, who is also the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, would be grounded at an airport for no just cause?” Iyofor said.

However, NAMA insisted that the plane was not grounded by the airspace manager. Udoh said that the aircraft, Global Express, with the registration number N565RS, called for Air Traffic Controllers’ start up at 17:35, which was at once granted to the pilot at the Akure airport towers.

He added that the aircraft commenced taxing at 17:45 and departed at 17: 51.

Sattie: May God help Rivers State Govt.

Nigerians!
always calling God... religion can't save u.
charlie, fight 4 urself.