ekea2001: It's a pity this people aint listening.May there be a revolution in Nigeria.let's mobilize on the streets of Abuja and call for a change.from the National assembly of wasteful lawmakers to Aso rock

Delafruita:
am i in dreamland?you do realise this sentiment you align yourself with is a big indictment of Mr Fresh Air

bloggernaija: How do you expect pea-brained dolt to spend money they did not work for.
PUNCH,STOP BEATING A DEAD HORSE.

9jadelta: mumu airforce one is not a plane

Jenams: Only violent revolution will stop such insolence

solomon111: Most of those jets were not bought in jonathan's administration.
If you're looking for who to hold responsible,OBJ is still alive.

Budget 2011: Presidency to spend N18bn on fleet

Following plans by the Presidency to spend N18 billion from this year’s budget on the maintenance of presidential planes in its fleet, financial and real estate experts have disclosed that the amount is only N1 billion higher than what could provide decent accommodation for the 17 million UN-Habitat estimated un-housed Nigerians.

Figures obtained by BusinessDay has shown that the allocation for the presidential fleet comes under the allocation to ‘Intelligence Community’ which got a total budget allocation of N105 billion, ranking it as one of the top ten allocations in the 2011 budget.

The amount of money the Presidency plans to spend on its presidential fleet of planes which carries it in comfort around the world is about N1 billion higher than the N16 billion with which government plans to confront the housing deficit of over 17 million Nigerians.

The N18 billion on the presidential fleet is also N7 billion higher than the N11 billion the government intends to spend equipping the country’s police force in 2011, and just about N2 billion less than it intends to spend on the nation’s aviation sector.

Financial analysts have also calculated that the N18 billion, if deployed to the epileptic power supply the country is currently grappling with, could provide 120 megawatts of electricity which is enough to light up Asaba, Delta State capital.

It will be recalled that in August 2010, the minister of Information at the time, Dora Akunyili had, at the end of a Federal Executive Council meeting, announced the acquisition of three additional presidential jets for the Nigerian presidential fleet at the cost of N23.1 billion.

The addition was to complement the eight existing aircraft that were already in the fleet.

Nigeria’s presidential fleet, which is one of the largest in the world, is made up of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) bought in 2006 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a Gulfstream V, a Gulfstream IVSP, and two Falcon 900s.

It is not clear, though, if the N18 billion allocation to the Presidential fleet in 2011 is purely for maintenance, buying an additional airplane or for both; but a source in the Presidency last night told BusinessDay that there was no plan to buy new planes for the Presidency this year.

In the 2010 proposal, the Presidency had actually proposed the acquisition of four new aircraft for the presidential fleet and had made a budget provision of N23.4 billion in that budget for them.

Akunyili had said then that “the committee set up for the acquisition of the aircraft was able to get a reduction of the sum of $2.9 million from the proposed price of two Falcon 7X aircraft and a reduction of the sum of $5.4 million from the offer of the Gulfstream G550 aircraft.”

She had also explained that “the first Falcon aircraft being purchased will be delivered by the end of the fourth quarter of 2010 while the second Falcon and Gulfstream G550 will be delivered by the end of the second quarter 2011.”

BusinessDay investigations show that Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world with a dedicated presidential fleet. Most countries prefer to convert aircraft used by their national carriers for use by their Presidency crew whenever the President is going on international trips. At other times, such world leaders could use an aircraft managed by the country’s Air Force for local trips.

For example, international trips of the Chinese President are managed by the government-owned national carrier - Air China, while domestic travels are operated by the 34th division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

For the British monarch and other members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and other ministers of the British Government, air transport is provided by either No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), chartered civilian aircraft or scheduled commercial flights - normally British Airways - for senior members of the royal family, and other commercial carriers for the Prime Minister and aides.

Aside Nigeria, the United States of America is another country that maintains a dedicated fleet of aircraft for its presidency.

With Nigeria’s Presidential fleet parading 11 different planes, BusinessDay analysis shows that the cumulative spend of N41 billion on the presidential fleet in two years would be enough to buy five Boeing 737-600 planes; large enough to start a national carrier for the nation. The average cost of a Boeing 737-600 is N8.5 billion (based on figures obtained from Boeing website). An analyst familiar with workings at airports told BusinessDay that “a national or flag carrier like Air Nigeria can be safely and profitably operated with five aircraft.”

The Federal Government sold Nigeria Airways - the nation’s national carrier - because it could not run it profitably.

The offices under ‘Intelligence Community’ which allocation of N105 billion ranks among the top ten allocations in the 2011 budget include: Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Directorate of State Security Service (SSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Presidential Air Fleet.

A breakdown of the allocations to the various units shows that the Office of the NSA plans to spend N37 billion in 2011; the SSS will spend N24 billion, while the NIA is planning to spend N26 billion.




It will be recalled that in August 2010, the minister of Information at the time, Dora Akunyili had, at the end of a Federal Executive Council meeting, announced the acquisition of three additional presidential jets for the Nigerian presidential fleet at the cost of N23.1 billion.

The addition was to complement the eight existing aircraft that were already in the fleet.

Nigeria’s presidential fleet, which is one of the largest in the world, is made up of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) bought in 2006 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a Gulfstream V, a Gulfstream IVSP, and two Falcon 900s.

It is not clear, though, if the N18 billion allocation to the Presidential fleet in 2011 is purely for maintenance, buying an additional airplane or for both; but a source in the Presidency last night told BusinessDay that there was no plan to buy new planes for the Presidency this year.

In the 2010 proposal, the Presidency had actually proposed the acquisition of four new aircraft for the presidential fleet and had made a budget provision of N23.4 billion in that budget for them.

Akunyili had said then that “the committee set up for the acquisition of the aircraft was able to get a reduction of the sum of $2.9 million from the proposed price of two Falcon 7X aircraft and a reduction of the sum of $5.4 million from the offer of the Gulfstream G550 aircraft.”

She had also explained that “the first Falcon aircraft being purchased will be delivered by the end of the fourth quarter of 2010 while the second Falcon and Gulfstream G550 will be delivered by the end of the second quarter 2011.”

BusinessDay investigations show that Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world with a dedicated presidential fleet. Most countries prefer to convert aircraft used by their national carriers for use by their Presidency crew whenever the President is going on international trips. At other times, such world leaders could use an aircraft managed by the country’s Air Force for local trips.

For example, international trips of the Chinese President are managed by the government-owned national carrier - Air China, while domestic travels are operated by the 34th division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

For the British monarch and other members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and other ministers of the British Government, air transport is provided by either No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), chartered civilian aircraft or scheduled commercial flights - normally British Airways - for senior members of the royal family, and other commercial carriers for the Prime Minister and aides.

Aside Nigeria, the United States of America is another country that maintains a dedicated fleet of aircraft for its presidency.

With Nigeria’s Presidential fleet parading 11 different planes, BusinessDay analysis shows that the cumulative spend of N41 billion on the presidential fleet in two years would be enough to buy five Boeing 737-600 planes; large enough to start a national carrier for the nation. The average cost of a Boeing 737-600 is N8.5 billion (based on figures obtained from Boeing website). An analyst familiar with workings at airports told BusinessDay that “a national or flag carrier like Air Nigeria can be safely and profitably operated with five aircraft.”

The Federal Government sold Nigeria Airways - the nation’s national carrier - because it could not run it profitably.

The offices under ‘Intelligence Community’ which allocation of N105 billion ranks among the top ten allocations in the 2011 budget include: Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Directorate of State Security Service (SSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Presidential Air Fleet.

A breakdown of the allocations to the various units shows that the Office of the NSA plans to spend N37 billion in 2011; the SSS will spend N24 billion, while the NIA is planning to spend N26 billion.

yuzedo: And it would've been ungracious/insulting if Banda spurned the Nigerian Government's offer, even though that's exactly what should've happened.

Well, who no like awoof? Better to eat Naija's money than her country's own.

solomon111: Most of those jets were not bought in jonathan's administration.
If you're looking for who to hold responsible,OBJ is still alive.

solomon111: The national assembly should be the one to authorize the sale of those jets,and not the president.
The jets does not belong to jonathan,it belongs to Nigeria.

solomon111: Most of those jets were not bought in jonathan's administration.
If you're looking for who to hold responsible,OBJ is still alive.

dare2think:

What about the Finance minister's warning of money running out?

Our 'natural endowments' are being mismanaged and hardly filthers down to the average citizen, so the President curbing excesses as precaution and example to others would be exemplary.

No matter how you try to spin it, 10 jets is indicative of a souless leader surrounded by greedy advisers. We as citizens should not encourage this sort of behaviour regarless of our affiliations

Maxymilliano:

It doesn't make any economic sense to continue keeping 10 aircraft for a government that is serious in curbing fiscal profligacy, the cost of maintenance and associated charges in keeping 10 aircraft is not healthy for the economy

Ihe grossly under-perforimg and under-productive legislatures should also wake up to their responsibilities and provide a semblance of checks on some of the activities of the executive rather than just serving as leeches and getting paid for doing next to nothing ...

DeCleff:

I wonder pass u ooooo

ITbomb: Malawi just could not afford to keep the jets but Nigeria could
What is the essence of the African brotherhood if not to help one another .
That the government is spending excessively and the citizens lack to will to question or stop it should not be the fault of Jonathan.
The logic is this , if Nigerians cannot question their LGA Chairmen about the over N50m coming to council every months , why should they bother about how FG in far away Abuja is spending the free , unaccounted money

solomon111: The national assembly should be the one to authorize the sale of those jets,and not the president.
The jets does not belong to jonathan,it belongs to Nigeria.

geeez: Trust me some people will come here and defend GEJ for wanting to buy more planes than the Malawian president has in her fleet of cars

The amount spent on the maintenance of these aircrafts can build a power plant for a community in a year

Find Out!:


They are here! making the usual excuse that our problems did not start under Jonathan. Did Joyce Banda buy the jet that she sold? Why didnt Jonathan sell the jets Obasanjo left? WHY DID HE BUY MORE? Oya answer.

there you have the difference between a leader who comes in to solve problems and a leader who comes in to create more saying that afterall, he didnt start it! You see yourself now?

ITbomb: Malawi just could not afford to keep the jets but Nigeria could
What is the essence of the African brotherhood if not to help one another .
That the government is spending excessively and the citizens lack to will to question or stop it should not be the fault of Jonathan.
The logic is this , if Nigerians cannot question their LGA Chairmen about the over N50m coming to council every months , why should they bother about how FG in far away Abuja is spending the free , unaccounted money

ITbomb: Malawi just could not afford to keep the jets but Nigeria could
What is the essence of the African brotherhood if not to help one another .
That the government is spending excessively and the citizens lack to will to question or stop it should not be the fault of Jonathan.
The logic is this , if Nigerians cannot question their LGA Chairmen about the over N50m coming to council every months , why should they bother about how FG in far away Abuja is spending the free , unaccounted money

Frankie9ice:

Truth is,there must be something questionable about that woman's integrity. 9 out of 10 times if dt woman comes to Nigeria u can be sure a Presidential jet from our fleet was sent to fetch,and return her to Malawi.
Won't waste my time commenting on GEJ's profligacy,...Tunde Bakare sed it all,....GEJ is going to bankrupt this Nation.

Capnd143: Why critizes evri tin about Gej? Does it cost the country up to 500,000 naira to transport her down here? Is it nt just to fuel the jet and dispatch? Sha some nairalanders are pure illitrates

LastApostle: The difference between Nigeria and other countries highlighted by the OP is that our money pumps in like water(OIL) while the other nations tax their citizens.

We are rich nation not by human resources but with natural endowments.


Btw... Airforce 1 jet of the American President can swallow all of Nigerias presidential fleet.

Ignorant apologists and downright dishonest charlatans who definitely know better may argue the point that the older aircraft need to be replaced due to maintenance issues (becoming expensive and dispatch reliability).

This argument is full of deceit and falsehoods. It is true that older aircraft need more checks and maintenance but this does not make them any less safe or less cost effective compared to the cost of purchasing new aircraft.

Moreover if the PAF and the presidency truly operate on a budget, maintenance costs for the all the aircraft would have been budgeted for already. If they were concerned about Nigerian’s money they would have taken the cost effective route.

To put my somewhat vitriolic discourse regarding this issue into perspective, I offer the easily verifiable example of the famed Air Force One of the United States Air force that carries the president and other aircraft. Between 1962 and 1998 a Boeing 707 was used by US presidents from John F Kennedy and Bill Clinton. This is a service record of approximately 36 years.

In Nigeria this would have been an abomination! The current Air Force One being used by President Obama was delivered to the US government in 1990. There are aircraft that serve top US government functionaries that are equally as old as the current Air Force One.

A replacement for Air Force One is expected to be delivered to the US government between the years 2017-2019. Almost 30 years after the delivery of the current Air Force One. It is interesting to note that President Obama recently as July of 2010, flew in a Gulstream III jet (an aircraft older that both the Gulstream IV and V currently in the Nigerian PAF).