As the cash crunch continues to hit the federal and state governments
across the country owing to declining global oil
prices, SUNDAY PUNCH has gathered that 11
private jets and helicopters owned by seven state
governments are being maintained with about
N6bn yearly.
The jets and helicopters, which are worth
N36.54bn going by the current exchange rate, are
owned by Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Bauchi,
Taraba, Osun and Lagos states.
Rivers, which owed its workers between three and
10 months’ salaries as of June 20, 2015, has two
private jets and one helicopter. These are
Bombardier Global 5000 acquired for $45m
(N8.9bn); Embraer Legacy 600, which goes for
about $16m (N3.152bn); and an Augusta Westland
helicopter, which goes for about $10m (N1.97bn),
according to aircraftcompare.com, an online
aviation portal that provides estimated prices of
aircraft.
The Taraba State Government owns two Embraer
ERJ 145, with each going for $21m (N4.13bn),
according to aircraftcompare.com. Thus, the two
planes cost about N8.27bn. The state
government, however, does not owe its workers.
Akwa Ibom, which as of June 20 had cleared all
outstanding workers’ salaries, owns an American-
made Gulfstream G450, which according to
aircraftcompare.com, costs $38.9m (N7.66bn).
Osun has a French-made Eurocopter ASS 355
helicopter it said was acquired for N500m
($2.538m at the current official exchange rate of
N197 to the United States dollar). As of June 20,
the state owed its workers seven months’ salaries.
Cross River has a Bombardier Dash 8 that
industry experts estimate to worth $10m
(N1.97bn). Some of its workers are owed six
months salaries, while others have two months’
outstanding.
Bauchi State, which as of June 20 owed two
months’ salaries, has one Embraer ERJ 145, which
costs $21m (N4.137bn), according to
aircraftcompare.com.
Lagos, which is not indebted to its workers, has
two Bell 412 helicopters, with each costing $6.7m
(N1.319bn), according to aircraftcompare.com
estimates. Thus, the two helicopters cost around
$13.4m (N2.64bn). They were acquired under the
Lagos State Security Trust Fund platform, an
initiative of the state government and private
partners.
The total cost of the 11 private jets and
helicopters is estimated at $198.80m (N39.17bn).
According to airline chief executives and industry
experts, airlines spend between 15 and 20 per
cent of the cost of an aircraft on its operations
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 other costs.
Going by the fact that at least 15 per cent of the
cost is spent annually on running the private jets,
it means that not less than $29.82m (N5.875bn) is
spent every year as running costs on the jets by
the seven state governments.
This is coming just as cash-strapped states seeking
the release of President Muhammadu Buhari-
approved bailout funds have indicated that they
have no plan to sell their private jets and
helicopters in order to ameliorate their ravaging
economic condition.
Osun and Cross River states, which are currently
seeking N34.988bn and N7.856bn respectively in
loans from banks through the Federal
Government bailout package, said rather than sell
their private jets and helicopters, they had put
them into commercial use by leasing them to
some aviation companies.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State
Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, said, “We have put the
aircraft, Bombardier Dash 8, under
Aerocontractors Airlines for commercial
purposes. We bought it so that it could be used to
convey people to the Obudu Ranch.”
The Director, Bureau of Communications and
Strategy, Governor’s Office, Osun State, Mr. Semiu
Okanlawon, did not pick calls or respond to text
messages sent to his mobile telephone, but the All
Progressive Congress Chairman in the state, Mr.
Adegboyega Famodun, had a few months ago
said the state government had put the Eurocopter
ASS 355 helicopter into commercial use by leasing
it to an airline.
He, however, said the state normally recalled it
whenever it needed it.
Bauchi State, which is seeking N8.6bn in bailout
funds from the Federal Government, could not
readily comment on whether it would sell or put
for lease its Embraer ERJ 145.
The plane is expected to return back to the
country from Morocco any time from now, the
state government said two weeks ago.
An official of the state government, Mr. Chad
Mohammed, said the new administration was just
settling down and that those competent to speak
on the matter would get in touch with our
correspondent. As of the time of filing this report,
they had yet to do so.
However, Lagos, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states,
which have yet to apply for bailout funds perhaps
because they have no need for it, declined to
comment on whether their private jets and
helicopters would be sold or put into commercial
use.
The spokesperson for Governor Akinwumi
Ambode, Mr. Habib Aruna, did not pick calls or
respond to a text message seeking enquiry on the
state’s plan for its two helicopters.
The Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor
on Media and Publicity, Mr. Opunabo Inko-Tariah,
said he had not been briefed by the governor on
the plans for the jets.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Udom
Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Ekerette Udo,
and the Commissioner of Information, Mr.
Aniekan Umanah, neither picked calls nor
responded to text messages sent to their
telephones on the state’s Gulsstream 450 aircraft.
The Federal Government bailout for the states,
coming as loans from commercial banks, is
repayable at an interest rate of nine per cent over
a 20-year period, according to the Central Bank of
Nigeria.

Cc: lalasticala

Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/debtor-states-others-spend-n6bn-to-maintain-private-jets/

Our dear very righteous president would not see such or know what to do with this info if they were to be PDP governed states then we would see it on the fp tomorrow....

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