Petroleum Minister Spends N13b on Private Jet
A member, Samuel Adejare (APC Lagos), levelled the allegation against the minister in a motion at plenary on Thursday.
The minister was also said to have spent another N10 billion for maintenance of an aircraft, a Challenger 850 Aircraft and its crew in the last two years.
Adejare, who represents Agege Federal Constituency, Lagos, made the allegations in his motion entitled, ‘Urgent Need to Investigate the Waste of Resources on the Arbitrary Charter and Maintenance of a Challenger 850 Aircraft for Non-official Use’.
In his lead debate on the motion, Adejare said it was wrong for the minister to have spent such money on frivolities at a time the resources of the country were dwindling and government complaining of lean purse.
“In these days of scarce national resources where public finance is shrinking in the face of ever increasing national needs such as roads, health, education and power, among others an official of government could waste public funds on such luxury as chartering a Challenger 850 Aircraft for extra official use.
“The Hon. Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, has been committing the sum of 500,000 Euros (N130 million) monthly to maintain the aircraft, thus in two years, the Minister had committed at least N3.120 billion in maintaining the private jet which is used solely for her personal needs and those of her immediate family, which is an appalling act” he added.
Adejare also explained that “there are strong indications that the above expenditure is only a tip of the iceberg as several other billions of naira have been allegedly wasted on flying the jet all over the world obviously for the leisure of the Hon. Minister and her immediate family on trips that were of no benefit to the country.
“This colossal waste is currently estimated at N10 billion, which include the payment of allowances to the crew for the trips, hanger parking and rent based on the lease agreement.
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