FG Budgeted N1.52b For Maintenance Of 10 Aircraft

Culled from Punch

The Federal Government has budgeted N1.52b for the maintenance of the 10 aircraft currently in the Presidential Air Fleet in 2014.

The maintenance cost is slightly higher than the N1.5bn proposed as the initial deposit for the purchase of additional aircraft that will bring the number of aircraft in the fleet to 11.

This is apart from the N747m earmarked for the purchase of aviation fuel for the aircraft already in the fleet.

These figures are contained in the details of the 2014 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan through the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, penultimate week.

The government has also earmarked N458.5m for international trainings for the fleet’s personnel in the coming year.

Another chunk of the budget for the fleet is the N675.9m budgeted for the rehabilitation/renovation/repairs of PAF Barracks.

A whopping N405.5m is also proposed for the completion of a hangar project under the PAF budget for the year while N106m is earmarked for tyre bay tools and equipment.

The PAF’s security vote (including operations) is N259.55m; insurance premium — N445.7m; as well as cleaning and fumigation services —N58m.

N71.74m is budgeted for 797 units of LG 2HP air conditioners for PAF Barracks; N40.5m is earmarked for three units of Toyota Coaster buses and N26.4m for four units of Toyota Hilux.

Motor vehicle fuel will gulp N29.6m, other transport equipment fuel cost — N26.5m; plant/generator fuel cost N14.5m as well as cooking gas/fuel cost — N2m.

The N67m devoted to miscellaneous included refreshment and meals — N28.9m; postage and courier services — N15m; medical expenses — N12m; corps members kitting, transport and feeding allowance N3.7m and honorarium and sitting allowance — N3.6m.

PAF is said to have the third largest fleet of aircraft in the country with a total of 10 aircraft, coming closely behind Aerocontractors Airlines, which has a total of 14 aircraft.

Arik Air, the largest commercial airline in the country, has a fleet of 23 aircraft.

The PAF include two Falcon 7X jets, two Falcon 900 jets, Gulfstream 550, one Boeing 737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One), and Gulfstream IVSP.

Others are one Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation 2 aircraft and Hawker Siddley 125-800 jet.