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Still on the Crashed Presidential Aircraft
It no longer news that Vice President Atiku Abubakar's 20-year-old falcon 900 aircraft crash-landed to the embarrassment of Nigeria, in far away Tenerife, Spain. 15 members of staff attached to his office were also aboard the plane had similarly disgraced the country in Lisbon the Portuguese capital, which country the plane had no business flying to. The Vice President was on official visit to the former country.
The first impression to one is; this must be another of such politicking in high places. After all, Abubakar would not board a plane with negative airworthy report. That brings one to the question, was there a report on the airworthiness of the said plane before the Vice President embarked on that trip? Put differently, did the Vice President embark on that journey without bothering to confirm the airworthiness of the plane he was to travel in? Did it occur to him that as vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria his life, and that of his entourage are of utmost importance to Nigerians?
For a presidency as the one at the helm of affairs, who enjoy spending more time outside than in the country, the need for perfect working planes cannot be over emphasized. Otherwise, including presidential transport problems to the myriad of problems presenting the country in bad light before the international community would further reduce our national estimation.
It is noted that the presidency has to travel outside the country for a number of reasons. First the country belongs, and in fact plays leading roles in a number of international organizations. Attending meeting of such organizations is the responsibility of government. Then again, the debt profile of the country being too much for a developing country like ours, government must carry the crusade for rescheduling and/or forgivingness to its creditors. This is a process that requires a number of international travels. Added to this, until most recently, the country was run as an irresponsible member of the international community; the need to change international perception about the country also requires international travels.
Whilst it may not be possible to herein identified all reasons for international travels by senior government officials, it necessary to state and clearly too, that most of such trips are unnecessary. The country maintains embassies; high Commissions/charge de affairs in many of those countries that senior government officials have had to travel to, to deliver a correspondence or represent the country/government. Added to this, one understands that many a time, the only purport of the journey is to deliver messages (some of which are" get well soon" messages).
The purport of ones argument should be well understood. Failure to properly maintain the presidential air fleet is now source of national embarrassment and for god sake what is the presidency doing about those old, out of fashion and out dated planes in its fleet? Is it a design to bring additional negative publicity to the country? Is it that those planes are retained and maintained to express the level of poverty in the country before the international community?
It is trite in the business/diplomatic circles that presentation of a person or of issues tells the story of how seriously the person or the issue would be taken. With this in mind, how seriously do we expect the government of the Spanish Republic to attend to whatever message, Abubakar, in all desperation, notwithstanding the risk to his life and to that of his entourage, traveling in a rickety plane and crash landing twice before eventually delivering the message? Which said message, the Nigeria Ambassador to that country, could quiet easily have undertaken without any embarrassment to the country.
The need to acquire a new fleet cannot be over emphasized. Government could go ahead to acquire presidential ships and submarines thereby adding class to its vehicles of traveling. The strength of the economy should determine the number of such vehicles. As mush as possible, government should avoid acquiring second hand (Tokunbo) planes or other vehicles (not minding the prevailing preference by a number of Nigerians for secondhand goods and the fact that it might come a little cheaper.) some income could accrue to government if the existing fleet are sold.
Finally government should endeavor to put into use its Foreign Missions. Attending to certain categories of meetings and delivery of messages could be conveniently handled by the Missions. Interestingly, many states and local government are now in competition with the presidency on international travels by so doing, wasting a lot of resources. International travels should be embarked upon, in those few instances where it is very necessary.