President Jonathan To Buy New Executive Jet

 

 President Goodluck Jonathan wants to ride yet another new aircraft, and he has asked the National Assembly to approve the purchase.  The request is part of the 2015 budget presented to the National Assembly in Abuja last week by the Minister of Finance,

President Goodluck Jonathan wants to ride yet another new aircraft, and he has asked the National Assembly to approve the purchase.  The request is part of the 2015 budget presented to the National Assembly in Abuja last week by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.  Interior of Falcon &X UNILAG Law Society Blog

It will be the fourth such purchase since he took office in 2010.

To make the acquisition of the gleaming new toy fit for the electoral stomp an attractive proposition, the presidency will trade in one of the planes currently in the presidential fleet.  But the purchase will still gulp N400 million as deposit to the manufacturer. 

Towards combating the insurgency in the country, the appropriation bill contains a N1,308,400,600 proposal to be spent on NICEP II security elements phase II by the NSA; N2,093,861,553 for maritime border security solutions (Falcon Eye); N2,093,861,553 for North-East border security solutions  and N850 million for the DSS to buy more firearms and ammunition for all the service formations.

Defense, which comprises the Ministry of Defense, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, has a vote of N358,466,078,698.

Similarly, 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), has a budgetary proposal of N84,128,320,723.

The bill also shows a proposal of N215,635,713 for foodstuff and catering equipment for the presidency, suggesting that the equipment is replaced every year.  Furthermore, the presidency will spend N26,663,050,469: N12,917,727,634 on personnel, N11,165,322,836 on overhead, N24,083,050,470 on recurrent expenditure, and N2,579,999,999 on capital projects.

The budgetary provisions further show an estimate of N150 billion for the National Assembly, and N73 billion is budgeted for the judiciary.

For the Ministry of Finance, there is a proposal of N1,727,288,461,558, a large proportion of which is dedicated to a what is called the "Service Wide Vote".

The "Service Wide Vote" is explained as a vote created to serve all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for emergency purposes not captured in MDAs yearly budgets, but for which funding has been provided.

Funds are disbursed from the Service Wide Vote with approval from the National Assembly through appropriation, and the Minister of Finance approving the request from demanding MDAs for the funds.

In the proposals, the education sector has an estimate of N492,034,986,591, and health, N257,543,773,757.
 

Nigeria Directs US To Discontinue Training For Nigerian Troops

The United States government Monday said the Nigerian government has asked it to discontinue the ongoing training of Nigerian troops by US military instructors.

The development highlights the frosty relations between both nations since the US government accused Nigeria of alleged human rights abuses in the war against Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group operating mainly in northern Nigeria.

“At the request of the Nigerian government, the United States will discontinue its training of a Nigerian Army battalion,” the US Embassy in Abuja said in a release.

The first two phases of training were conducted between April and August 2014, and had provided previously untrained civilian personnel with basic soldiering skills.

“Based on mutual assessment of the Nigerian Army and US trainers, a third iteration of training was agreed upon with the intent of developing the battalion into a unit with advanced infantry skills.

“We regret premature termination of this training, as it was to be the first in a larger planned project that would have trained additional units with the goal of helping the Nigerian Army build capacity to counter Boko Haram,” the release said.

The US however said it would continue other aspects of the extensive bilateral security relationship, as well as all other assistance programmes with Nigeria.

Nigeria has accused the US of frustrating its efforts to purchase sophisticated weaponry, especially multi-purpose assault helicopters and jets from manufacturers in the West.

The United States government Monday said the Nigerian government has asked it to discontinue the ongoing training of Nigerian troops by US military instructors.
The development highlights the frosty relations between both nations since the US government accused Nigeria of alleged human rights abuses in the war against Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group operating mainly in northern Nigeria.
“At the request of the Nigerian government, the United States will discontinue its training of a Nigerian Army battalion,” the US Embassy in Abuja said in a release.
The first two phases of training were conducted between April and August 2014, and had provided previously untrained civilian personnel with basic soldiering skills.
“Based on mutual assessment of the Nigerian Army and US trainers, a third iteration of training was agreed upon with the intent of developing the battalion into a unit with advanced infantry skills.
“We regret premature termination of this training, as it was to be the first in a larger planned project that would have trained additional units with the goal of helping the Nigerian Army build capacity to counter Boko Haram,” the release said.
The US however said it would continue other aspects of the extensive bilateral security relationship, as well as all other assistance programmes with Nigeria.
Nigeria has accused the US of frustrating its efforts to purchase sophisticated weaponry, especially multi-purpose assault helicopters and jets from manufacturers in the West.
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