Abeg, make we yan wetin dey happen for this country! Federal Government don drop serious money, N10.61 billion, just to fix engines for Vice President Kashim Shettima own plane. Na dis aircraft dem dey call Gulfstream G550, wey no wan gree relax these days.
The whole wahala start as dem analyze budget bills from 2024 to 2026. E be like say dis jet, wey them register as 5N-FGW, na im get the highest allocation for engine work inside Presidential Air Fleet. E don chop 55% of the total N19.27 billion wey dem spend for engine maintenance under President Bola Tinubu regime. Na serious cash, my people!
Egbon Kashim’s plane start from N1.24 billion in 2024, then jump to N5.51 billion in 2025. Chai! Na wetin dem dey call 345% increase o! But as 2026 come, e drop small to N3.86 billion. See wetin dey happen, as dem dey try maintain dis plane, cost dey go up, up, and away!
Now this Gulfstream G550 dey fly under “Nigerian Air Force 2” sign, but e no dey give them peace of mind as e dey branch this technical problems anytime Shettima wan travel. For May 2024, he don cancel trip to U.S. say engine no gree waka again. Dem come set fire for Naija when President Tinubu also find private jet to Saudi Arabia because of same aircraft. Wetin dey happen?
Dem say dis plane don dey age na, 13 years don pass since e land for our ground. Aviation experts don dey talk say as your aircraft dey grow older, maintenance dey cost pass. General Secretary of Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, talk say “older aircraft need more money to maintain.” You fit imagine how much dem dey spend to fix those engines. E no be joke!
Dem don spend N4.58 billion in 2024, N8.65 billion in 2025, and N6.05 billion for 2026 for presidential fleet alone. E be like say last year, after Nigeria collect big Airbus A330 worth N150 billion, all dis extra spending on old aircraft don dey show for budget!
Some people dey vex as dem dey complain say the money wey dem dey use on dis maintenance fit solve better problems for the country. Executive Chairman of Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, dey shout say the spending no dey match the current hardship wey Nigerians dey face. “Naim be dis luxury living when people dey suffer?” he ask.
The House of Representatives even don recommend say make dem buy new aircraft for President and Vice President to save more money and improve safety. But for now, dem never announce any new jet for the VP o. Wetin be dis? Dis plane wey dem dey spend billions to fix, no chance for retirement?
As e be now, no one don fill the enquiry about wetin dem dey do with all dis maintenance work wey dem arrange for the aircraft. Aviation sector still dey waka go, but na wetin go happen next go determine the future of dis fleet. Stay tuned, my people! Dis one no be small gist, e get flavor!
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