In a bid to reduce costs, the government of Nigeria is planning to sell three jets currently housed in its Presidential Air Fleet ( PAF ) as part of a cost-saving initiative.
In response to concerns about rising costs, an unnamed state source informed the local media that Nigeria’s president had ordered the ship of six plane and four helicopters to be reduced.
According to the national, the officers in the PAF are reportedly concerned about how frequently the plane will need to be serviced and how much the land would be incurred, adding that the President had decided to let go of the aircraft that are the most expensive to maintain.
Apparently, Nigerian authorities had budgeted about 80 billion rupees (around$ 60 million ) for the Presidential Air Fleet’s maintenance fees between 2016 and 2023.
During the former president Muhammadu Buhari’s management, Nigeria had recently attempted to sell two helicopters in 2016 but was unable to find customers. Instead of the asking price of$ 24 million, the original bids apparently offered$ 11 million for the Dassault Falcon 7x professional plane and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 company jet. The state turned down the offer.
Under the management of previous president Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian government attempted to sell two aircraft in 2016 but was unsuccessful in finding anyone who would be willing to pay for the airplane. The$ 11 million offer for the executive jet and Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet, which cost less than the$ 24 million price tag, was placed on hold. Thus, Abuja turned down the offer.
Since President Tinubu, who took office in May, removed a fuel payment as part of the budget deficit-reduction changes, causing street protests and global strikes, the most populous nation in Africa has been racked by a cost-of-living problems. Last year, the Nigerian president, who has vowed to “re- architect” the country’s finances and curb” greedy interests”, issued an order suspending all formally funded international travel for government officials with the aim of scaling down operational spending.
The cost of living in the African nation with the highest community has been a major challenge. This issue emerged after President Tinubu, who assumed business next May, ended several assets, including the gas rebate, as part of measures to reduce the budget deficit. This choice led to numerous labor strikes and street riots throughout the nation. The Nigerian leader recently issued a directive to suspend all publicly funded international travel for government officials in an effort to control administrative costs and prioritize the country’s financial stability over personal interests. This action aims to reduce administrative spending and promote much-needed reform of the nation’s financial system.
Due to the high level of controversy surrounding their travel, President Tinubu and his officials implemented the cost-cutting program that began on April 1 and will continue for three months. Last November, over 400 Nigerian government officials attended the COP28 climate conference in Dubai. SOURCE: Nigeria to Sell Presidential Planes It Can’t Afford to Keep BY: eTurboNews | eTN
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