…Consultants Lament Value Of Upkeep Will Be Exorbitant
…Tinubu Heads To France Aboard New Jet Changing Previous One
Newly acquired presidential plane, Airbus A330-200, with registration quantity, 5N-FGA, is 15 years previous, Every day Independent investigation has revealed.
Additionally, Nigeria is the third proprietor of the identical plane with check registration quantity, F-WWKR, and Producer Serial Quantity (MSN), 1053.
Info gathered by Every day Independent signifies that the Federal Government had taken supply of the aircraft on Sunday from Toulouse, France, its manufacturing web site.
It was gathered that the controversial plane was manufactured in September 2009 and delivered in November 2009 with the registration quantity, VP-CAC, to Midroc Aviation, based mostly in Jeddah, King Abdulaziz Worldwide, Saudi Arabia.
The plane was with the configuration, VIP; engines, 2xRR and HEX CODE, 4241AC.
The Saudi Arabian aviation firm operated the plane for 12 years earlier than it was acquired by AMAC Aerospace in April 2021 with the identical registration quantity, configuration and engines.
AMAC Aerospace is a Switzerland based mostly firm, which operated the plane for 3 years earlier than it was acquired by the Nigerian authorities just lately and upgraded to the present standing.
The Federal Authorities according to investigation took delivery of the plane on Sunday, August 18, 2024 with the registration quantity, 5N-FGA and HEX CODE, 06430C, from a manufacturing facility in France.
Although the federal government has stored mute about the price of the plane, data gathered by Every day Impartial indicated that the federal government acquired the airplane at the price of $100 million and retrofitted with state-of-the-art devices with one other $50 million.
The worth of a model new A330- 200 plane is $238.5 million, whereas A330-300 is priced at $264.2 million and A330-200F prices $241.7 million to amass.
The plane was a topic of authorized tussle between Nigeria and Ogun State on one hand and a Chinese language agency, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Funding, over a contractual problem with the state authorities in 2007.
The Nigerian authorities had earlier within the yr lamented concerning the excessive value of preserveing its 19 years previous Boeing 737.
The federal government had mentioned that the jet, which was acquired through the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was costing an enormous sum of cash to take care of as a consequence of its age.
A supply near the presidency confided in Every day Impartial that the Federal Authorities spent over $4.5 million for the jet’s upkeep in 2023, whereas extra money could be expended on the gear in 2024.
In a bid to avoid wasting value in the long term, specialists within the Nigerian aviation trade had mentioned it was essential for the federal government to amass a contemporary jet, which might eat much less gas for the president’s motion, however cautioned that it shouldn’t be an opportunity to swindle the nation.
A month to the expiration of the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the aircraft was despatched for a comprehensive upkeep forward of the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu’s authorities.
The Federal Authorities had earmarked N12.7 billion for the upkeep of the presidential air fleet within the 2023 supplementary funds.
The determine was within the recurhire expenditure of the Workplace of the Nationwide Safety Adviser (ONSA) with a complete funds of N29.7 billion.
Talking on the problem, Engr. Femi Adeniji, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigame Aircraft Consultancy Incorporation, Florida, United States of America (U.S.A.), mentioned that the older an aircraft is, the dearer it’s to take care of.
Adeniji additionally defined that that is largely depending on how continuously the plane is fundamentaltained by the consumer.
In accordance with him, it was necessary for the federal government to acquire extra fashionable gear that might serve it higher and cheaper to take care of on the long term with diminished gas consumption.
He additionally mentioned that for safety and security causes, the presidency ought to have an in-house MRO facility, which may a minimum of automotivery out C-checks upkeep on the jet, moderately than taking such gear outdoors the nation for upkeep functions.
The Nigame CEO maintained that this upkeep must be carried out by the engineers within the Nigeria Air Pressure (NAF) and authorized by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
He mentioned: “Is the plane on any upkeep programme, which is like medical insurance; paying a month-to-month premium based mostly on the budgeted flight hours? This pays in the long term to scale back your upkeep value as a result of the presidential fleet couldn’t maintain a pool of components.
“For safety causes too, presidential fleet plane fundamentaltenance too are higher and safer being complied with in-house, offering the appropriate gear and tooling for this as a substitute of abroad the place the crew resort lodging, logistics, per diem and others are all inclusive as a result of they should be there and monitor the upkeep and security assurance.”
Adeniji reiterated that Nigeria required a presidential jet, for safety, easy accessibility, motion of the president, vp, increased officers of the government.
Apart from, Engr. Sheri Kyari, an engineer with the defunct nationwide service, Nigeria Airmethods, posited that buying a model new plane for presidential motion could be higher in a bid to scale back the upkeep value.
He, nevertheless, suggested that the federal government ought to nonetheless go for a Boeing model of apparatus due to its upkeep and technical experience within the nation.
The excessive value of upkeep of the presidential air fleet had constantly provoked outcry from Nigerians.
The nation had budgeted N73.3 billion for the presidential air fleet from 2011 to 2020.
Tinubu Departs For France Aboard New Presidential Jet
In the meantime, President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja, the nation’s capital, for Paris, France.
He flew the brand new Airbus A330, which changed the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) purchased below the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Bayo Onanuga, Particular Advertviser to the President on Information and Technique, posted the data on his X deal with on Monday.
The brand new aircraft, is believed to have been purchased far under the market worth, which presidency sources say saves the nation big upkeep and gas prices, operating into thousands and thousands of {dollars} yearly.
The advice to replace the B737-700(BBJ) adopted an investigative listening to by Nigeria’s parliament that questioned the aircraft’s security document and value effectivity, particularly after it malfunctioned throughout a visit to Saudi Arabia.
The Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended changing the ageing plane within the presidential fleet to scale back downtime and operational bills.
In the meantime, the presidency had on Sunday introduced that President Tinubu could be travelling to France on Monday.
The terse assertion attributed to Tinubu’s Particular Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, was not particular on the explanations for the journey.
The assertion merely indicated, “President Bola Tinubu will embark on a visit to France on Monday, August 19, departing from Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“The president will return to the nation after his temporary work keep in France”
