One of the three presidential jets ordered by the Federal Government last year has arrived the country.
Sources close to Aso Rock told our correspondent that the jet, a Falcon 7X, arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from France a week ago.
The aircraft which was manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France cost the government $51m (about N7.65bn.)
The Federal Executive Council had on August 12, 2010 approved $102m for the purchase of two Falcon 7x and $53.3m for one Gulfstream G550 aircraft to beef up the Presidential Air Fleet.
Our source added that the second Falcon 7X would arrive the country during the second quarter of the year.
Confirming the arrival of the first jet, a top official of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, who pleaded anonymity as the matter has to do with the Presidency, said the aircraft arrived last week.
He said the presidential crew flying the aircraft had been on a two-week training in France.
Some officials of the regulatory agency, who will keep safety regulatory oversight on the ultra-modern jet had also gone on training in France, the source added.
“The jet came in last week. In fact, before they brought it into the country, some officials of NCAA, including a regional manager, had gone to inspect the plane. The second Falcon 7X will arrive later,” he added.
In what is probably its first mission, the jet was said to have conveyed the the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, to Sokoto on Tuesday.
Sources in Sokoto confirmed that the jet, marked Nigerian Air Force 5N-FGU, was sighted at the Sa’ad Abubakar III Airport, Sokoto.
The two Falcon 7X aircraft are to be supplied by Messrs Dassault Aviation of France, while the Gulfstream G550 will come from Messrs Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of the United States.
The Federal Government had expected the first Falcon 7X aircraft to arrive in Nigeria by the end of December and the second in the second quarter of 2011.
The Gulfstream G550 is also expected in the country by the second quarter of 2011.
The sum of N21bn was provided in the 2010 budget for the purchase of the three aircraft.
The former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, had told journalists in Abuja last year that the Federal Executive Council approved the purchase of the aircraft.
FEC had at the end of its November 25, 2009 meeting announced that the government had commenced a phased replacement of aircraft in the PAF.
The government explained that the decision to drop some of the eight aircraft in the PAF followed the discovery that they had become too expensive to maintain due to old age.
Posted: at 25-03-2011 07:44 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
deboalabi262 at 26-03-2011 12:53 AM (14 years ago) (m)
What a waste of our money!!! GEJ and his wife are living elegantly like kings while ordinary/common Nigerians are living in abject poverty and unemployment. God dey o.... Our votes would be used to punish you sooner rather than later. Lol
Who Jah Blessed, No Man Cursed......
Posted: at 26-03-2011 12:53 AM (14 years ago) | Hero
What a waste of our money!!! GEJ and his wife are living elegantly like kings while ordinary/common Nigerians are living in abject poverty and unemployment. God dey o.... Our votes would be used to punish you sooner rather than later. Lol
Posted: at 26-03-2011 03:41 PM (14 years ago) | Grande Master
ceejay58 at 26-03-2011 10:52 PM (14 years ago) (m)
Quote from: deboalabi262 on 26-03-2011 12:53 AM
What a waste of our money!!! GEJ and his wife are living elegantly like kings while ordinary/common Nigerians are living in abject poverty and unemployment. God dey o.... Our votes would be used to punish you sooner rather than later. Lol
i honestly pray that most Nigerians can learn from all these b/4 they cast their votes.
left for me pdp will never see the four walls of ASOROCK come April.
Posted: at 26-03-2011 10:52 PM (14 years ago) | Hero
chigracious at 26-03-2011 11:54 PM (14 years ago) (m)
Imgine what is happen'on while out there, 15 yrs boy join armd rubas 2 mess up, thourands' of graduate is look'n 4 job, and poverty is kill'n many people.
Posted: at 26-03-2011 11:54 PM (14 years ago) | Newbie
Dan_Fulani at 27-03-2011 02:44 AM (14 years ago) (m)
Folks let take a closer look at this waste and mismanagement of the national treasury. 21 billion nairas was approved for three jets in the presidential fleet. I think there are better ways to spend such amount of money.
That is enough money to complete ANY ONE of the following projects:
1. Build and staff 51 small to medium size hospitals 2. Tear down and re-build 504 primary schools on their present locations. 3. Upgrade 700 secondary schools nation wide. Also supply textbooks. 4. Repair our crumbling highways. Replace most of our falling and unsafe bridges. 5. Provide adequate funding for primary and secondary education for the next five years 6. Stimulate the economy by providing jobs for 54% of our university graduates that are unemployed. 7. Upgrade our airports to international standards 8. Provide improved and effective trainings for our police and law enforcenent agencies. 9. Rural Community Development: Provide electricity for all rural areas with little or no electricity in Nigeria. 10 Rural Community Development: Provide accessible roads and clean water for residents in all rural communities
dan fulani
Posted: at 27-03-2011 02:44 AM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
SENTIMAL at 27-03-2011 08:11 AM (14 years ago) (m)
Oh, lets someone remind me, how much is the new yet unsigned minimum wage in Nigeria? When will the 'messiah' come? Tight security for the govt officials, no good thought and plan for the tax payers. God will judge, a poor man prayer.
Posted: at 27-03-2011 08:11 AM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
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