Niamey - The government of Niger, one of the
poorest countries in the world, has provoked
anger with the purchase of a $40m presidential
jet.
The country's Defence Minister Karidjo
Mahamadou confirmed the deal on Monday,
saying it would help improve the "influence of
our illustrious republic".
The minister told state television the Boeing
737-700 was received on Sunday afternoon
after being paid for with "around 20 billion CFA
francs" in government money.
The plane it is replacing - also a Boeing 737 -
was bought in the 1970s by the country's
former president Seyni Kountche.
While it will remain in service, one aviation
expert likened it to a "flying coffin," telling AFP
that it "no longer meets international
standards".
But the country's opposition has been highly
critical of the purchase.
"With our country facing a new famine and with
further serious flooding this year, the state
decides to spend billions on a prestige
purchase," said Ousseini Salatou, spokesperson
for the Nigerien opposition coalition.
Opposition lawmaker Amadou Ali accused the
government of having "cheated" the public by
hiding the funds used to buy the plane in the
military equipment budget.
Despite vast uranium and newly-discovered
petroleum deposits, Niger ranks at the bottom
of the United Nations' Human Development
Index, and more than 60% of the population
living below the poverty line.
The government attributes the ranking in part
to the country's birth rate, which is the highest
in the world, but the country ranks poorly
across a range of indicators.
In June, the International Monetary Fund
temporarily froze aid to neighbouring Mali after
the government there bought a $40m
presidential plane.
Financial assistance was ordered to be frozen
until at least September while the officials
investigated the purchase.
AFP

latter they would say they are broke and start begging for money from oder countries. why won't they be broke when they don't know how to manage the little they have they are busy copying what oder rich countries are doing $40million can do something reasonable to their economy

I see no reason why a country should not be allowed to make decisions that is important to its national security interest . If the older plane fall and the president die, the same reporters will shout hey " poor president dies in old jet" now they buy new one and look at what people are saying as if after the president term in office im go carry the jet go haus?
The jet is for the people and any airport where it lands it will bear the flag of the country,

Me need one too.

Hmmm