Who Needs Another Presidential Jet?

The reported allocation of a staggering sum of N1.6billion in the 2015 budget for the purchase of another presidential jet leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Definitely, this exercise in wasteful spending should give every right thinking Nigerian food for thought. If it is true, it would be among the latest on the growing list of avoidable misplaced priorities by the Federal Government.
It is worrisome that at this time of dwindling resources arising from the precipitous fall in crude oil prices, the federal authorities could be so insensitive as to embark on avoidable spending spree.
This is in spite of the fact that millions of Nigerians are wallowing in mind boggling poverty and impoverishments. That a presidential jet worth N1.6 billion is being accorded priority at this time, says a lot of the insensitivity by those charged with looking after the people’s welfare. It is unconscionable for the presidency to be indulging in out- of –this- world extravagance in the midst of worsening economic woes, collapsing infrastructure, increasing corruption and steady decline in the living standards of ordinary Nigerians.
We are scandalised that the federal government plans to buy another presidential jet even when it currently has 10 aircraft in its fleet. What does it need 11 aircraft for? Besides this, the presidency also proposed to spend about N747 million for aircraft fuel during the year. In the 2014 budget, N2.4 billion was allocated for local and foreign trips of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo. There is no doubt that the cost of maintaining 11 presidential jets will have a tremendous effect on the country’s economy.
It is ironical that while some countries in Africa, including Malawi, are selling off their presidential jets for economic sustainability;
those in Nigeria’s presidential fleet are increasing. We call on the government to shelve further plans for the purchase of additional aircraft. Moreover, it should sell off some the present fleet to conserve funds. Incidentally, most of the state governors are known to also maintain private jets, even when they are struggling to pay the minimum wage of N18, 000 to their workers. By every international standard, Nigeria is a poor country with more than 70 percent of the citizens living below $2 per day. It therefore smacks of callousness for the leaders to be living like emperors.
A comparative study of some world leaders shows that in spite of their country’s wealth, they are frugal in their private and public life. For example, the British Prime Minister, David Cameroon and even Queen Elizabeth11 takes chartered commercial flights inside and outside Britain for official functions. One of the world’s topmost economies, Japan has only two aircraft.

*this was first published in the Daily Times newspaper dated Friday, December 26, 2014