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Nigeria puts two presidential jets up for sale in cost-cutting drive
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari speaks during his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the United Nations General Assembly September 20, 2016. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
05/10/2016
ABUJA (Reuters) - Two of Nigeria's 10 presidential jets have been put up for sale as part of a drive to cut costs, a spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday.
Buhari, a 73-year-old former military ruler who took office last year, has vowed to crack down on corruption and mismanagement of public funds that has seen a rich elite benefit from the OPEC member's oil wealth while most Nigerians live on less than $2 per day.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu issued a statement to say newspaper advertisements for the sale of two presidential planes had been authorised by the presidency.
"This is in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that aircraft in the presidential air fleet be reduced to cut down on waste," said Shehu.
Nigeria has 10 planes in its presidential fleet.
Nigeria is in a recession for the first time in more than 20 years, largely due to low oil prices. Sales of crude oil, the country's main export, make up 70 percent of government revenue.
(Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by James Dalgleish
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