In the new 2015 budget, President Goodluck Jonathan requested funds for another aircraft, asking the National Assembly to approve the purchase.
The budget plan was presented in Abuja last week by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Sahara Reporters recalls that it will be Jonathan’s 4th purchase of this kind since 2010, if adopted.
To make the acquisition more reasonable, the country leader however suggested to trade in one of the planes currently in the presidential fleet. Despite this, the aircraft still needs N400 million as deposit to the manufacturer.
As for the other expenses contained in the budget appropriation bill:
N1,308,400,600 – on NICEP II security elements phase II by the NSA;
N2,093,861,553 – on maritime border security solutions (Falcon Eye);
N2,093,861,553 – on North-East border security solutions and N850 million for the DSS to buy more firearms and ammunition for all the service formations;
N358,466,078,698 – a total amount to be spent on the Ministry of Defense, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, while N84,128,320,723 is meant for the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), comprising the National Intelligence Agency, the Department of State Security, the Presidential Air Fleet (which manages the presidential fleet of aircraft);
N215,635,713 – on foodstuff and catering equipment for the presidency;
N492,034,986,591 – on education;
N257,543,773,757 – on healthcare.
It would be recalled that Jonathan’s refusal to present the budget by himself caused discontent among the lawmakers. A similar situation took place in 2013, however it was reasoned by the fact that GEJ was out of the country at the time, unlike now.
Interestingly, it was reported it the beginning of 2014 that Jonathan made a proposal for an upfront deposit of N1.5billion for a new private, which should have become Presidential Air Fleet’s (PAF) 11th aircraft.
