The Federal Government has proposed to spend N4.96 billion in 2018 on fuel and maintenance of the presidential jets, despite clamours for reduction in the number of aircrafts in the Presidential Air Fleets (PAF).
Analysis of the 2018 budget currently before the National Assembly for consideration showed that N1.37bn has been proposed for the maintenance of the aircrafts, a value higher than the N850 million appropriated for the same purpose in 2017 budget. Daily Trust also observed that the cost of fuelling the jets have been cut by about half to N398 million in 2018 budget proposal from the N900 million allocated for the same purpose in 2017 budget.
However, the Federal Government has proposed to spend N1.17bn for the purchase of air navigational equipment in the 2018 budget, higher than the N90 million budgeted in 2017 and N262.4m allocated for the same purpose in 2016 budget. In addition to purchasing new air navigational equipment, government also proposed other N418.51m for repairs and rehabilitation of air navigational equipment.
Some of the new projects included in the 2018 budget related to maintenance of the presidential jets include, purchase of aircraft mobile washing machine for N1.88m, mandatory upgrade and installation of live TV and internet service on BBJ (5N-FGT) for N200m, compliance with mandatory upgrade and installation of internet service on G550 (5N-FGW) for N240m and installation of new cabin management system on GV (5N-FGS) for N375m. Other projects include compliance with mandatory upgrades on PAF aircraft for N350m, repair of aerial surveillance radar system for N 20.81m, overhaul of landing gear for presidential BBJ aircraft for N196.50m and overhaul of aircraft engines - FALCON 7X (5N-FGV) for N222.01m. Meanwhile, N7.26bn has been proposed for the Presidential Air Fleet in 2018 budget for both capital and recurrent expenditures, with capital expenditure put at N2.90bn.
Recall that not long, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, revealed in a statement that President Muhammadu Buhari order the sale of two presidential aircraft, a Falcon 7x executive jet and Hawker 4000. The move was seen as a deliberate action to reduce the fleets and save costs in the face of crippling economic condition in the country, but the 2018 budget proposals for the fleets prove contrary. In October 2016, shortly after the Federal Government decided to sell two aircrafts, President Buhari handed over two additional aircrafts from the Presidential fleet to the Nigerian Air Force.
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