FG to spend N65bn on warplanes, weapons, others

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The Federal Government is proposing to spend N65.03bn for the acquisition of various military aircraft, combat equipment, trucks and maintenance of boats among others in the 2016 fiscal period.

Details of this amount are contained in the 2016 budget which President Muhammadu Buhari presented to a joint session of the National Assembly in December, 2015.

A copy of the budget for the military was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday.

The N65.03bn, according to an analysis of the budget document, is part of the total sum of N311.38bn allocated to the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force for the 2016 fiscal year.

Out of the N311.38bn, the sum of N139.8bn, made up of capital expenditure of N120.01bn and recurrent expenditure of N19.78bn is allocated to the Nigerian Army.

For the Nigerian Navy, the sum of N85.97bn is allocated for its operations. This amount is made up of N60.33bn for recurrent expenditure and N25.64bn for capital spending.

The Nigerian Air Force has a total budget of N85.61bn, made up of N62.15bn for recurrent expenditure and N23.46bn for capital expenditure.

Giving details of the weapons to be acquired for the operation of the Navy, the fiscal document states that the sum of N5bn is budgeted for the procurement of three JF-17 Thunder-multi role combat aircraft.

The government, according to the document, has also allocated the sum of N11.6bn for the procurement of two MI-35m helicopter, while N2.06bn is being proposed to acquire 10 Super Mushak trainer aircraft.

Other operational equipment to be acquired for the Navy are aircraft spares, N1.7bn; combat equipment, outfits and training for Quick Response Force, N350m; arms and ammunition such as 30MM Canon, 68MM SNEB live rocket, F3 and F4 practice bomb, N480m.

Also being proposed for the Navy is infrastructural development at the newly established Forward Operational Base and NAF Units at a cost of N2.2bn.

For the Nigerian Army, the budget document states that the sum of N5.64bn has been budgeted for the purchase of defence equipment; N2bn for kitting of armed forces personnel; and N1.96bn for the purchase of trucks.

Similarly, the sum of N2.07bn is being proposed for security votes including operations while N7.24bn has been budgeted for the construction of military barracks.

For the Navy, the budget document states that the purchase of defence equipment will gulp N18.29bn while the sum of N372.95m and N734.06m are budgeted for the maintenance of aircraft and sea boats respectively.

In the same vein, the document indicates that the government is planning to spend N1.7bn to purchase surveying equipment, N296.88m to fuel aircraft; N645.35m for sea boats and N706.07m for security votes, including operations.