Three jets within the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) shall be bought off to chop down the price of working the federal government.
There are 10 plane at present within the presidential fleet – six jets and 4 helicopters – which shall be minimize to seven if the deliberate motion sails by way of, based on The Nation.
In keeping with the report, that is a part of the cost-saving measures being adopted by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Not lower than N80 billion had been budgeted for the PAF as upkeep price, from 2016 to 2023. In 2016 (N3.65 billion), 2017 (N4.37 billion), 2018 (N7.26 billion), 2019 (N7.30 billion), 2020 (N6.79 billion), 2021 (N12.55 billion), 2022 (N12.48 billion) and in 2023 about N25.7billion, made up of N13billion within the price range and N12.7billion within the 2023 Supplementary Funds.
Though the quantity launched from the budgetary line yr on yr couldn’t be ascertained, the President was stated to be uncomfortable with the rising price of upkeep and subsequently directed that the fleet ought to be decreased.
Citing a supply, the president was notably involved in regards to the frequency of upkeep and the way a lot it prices the nation.
The supply stated: “The President is uncomfortable with the rising price of sustaining the planes.
“Three planes have been pencilled down for disposal. The primary purpose is slicing down excessive upkeep prices.
“I believe officers in PAF had been notably involved in regards to the frequency of upkeep and the way a lot it prices the nation.
“The President determined to let off the plane that represent essentially the most burdensome.”
Then-President Muhammadu Buhari’s authorities additionally deliberate to unload two planes within the fleet however ultimately did not eliminate them.
In October 2016, a Dassault Falcon 7x government jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 enterprise jet had been put up on the market. The popular bidders who initially agreed to pay $24 million for the 2 plane, later decreased their supply to $11 million. This was rejected by the then authorities.
Thereafter, an association to place a few of the plane on chatter for prepared governors was initiated to make the planes income-generating, thereby lowering the federal government bills on upkeep.
