Private jet: Reps probe oil minister’s N10 billion expenses

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a resolution to probe an alleged spending of N10 billion by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to charter and maintain a jet for her personal use.

The resolution indicated that the minister spent 500,000 Euros or N130 million monthly to maintain the aircraft in the last two years.

“Thus, in the last two years, the minister has committed at least N3.120 billion to maintaining the private jet, which is used solely for her personal needs and those of her immediate family, which is an appalling act”, the sponsor of the motion, Mr. Samuel Adejare, told the House.

He alleged that other “wasteful” costs associated with the minister’s frequent trips with the jet were “currently estimated at N10 billion, which include payment of allowances to the crew for trips, hanger parking and rent based on the lease agreement.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Agege Federal Constituency in Lagos State, argued that, at a time of dwindling resources, it was a “breach of  public trust” and “impudence” for a government official to fly “all over the world, obviously for leisure.”

Members endorsed the motion in a unanimous voice vote and directed the Committee on Public Accounts to conduct the investigation within three weeks.