6th March, 2015
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu, has called for adequate funding of Nigerian Air Force (NAF ) to enable it to carry out its mandate effectively.
Amosu made the call in Abuja on Thursday while briefing the Senate Committee on Air Force on the performance of the 2014 Budget and estimated expenditure for 2015.
He stressed that there was need for adequate funding to enable NAF to complete on going projects relating to re-activation and maintenance of aircraft, purchase of arms and ammunition.
He said the Air Force equally needed to construct officers’ and airmen’s accommodation, among others.
“The 2015 budget is aimed at sustaining the aircraft re-activation and capacity building embarked upon in the last four years and to meet the challenge of insecurity’’, he said.
Amosu said estimated expenditure for 2015 was N77.5 billion as against N73.8 billion in 2014.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, Saidu Alkali (PDP- Gombe North) said in spite of the drop in the country’s revenue, there was need for the Federal Government to prioritise the available resources.
He said the Air Force needed to be adequately funded in view of its important role in the security of lives and property of the citizens.
“Despite the fact that there is a challenge in our revenue, we have to prioritise the little that we have to make sure that this country is protected.
“So, I am going to take it up with the Committee on Appropriations when I go to submit my report and make sure that NAF gets more funding.
“I strongly suggest that we have an integrated budgetary system in this country.
He said that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) ought to work with the National Assembly and the Budget Office to prepare the budget.
He added that such would enable them to come up with comprehensive budgets that would satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians
The Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka, decried the inadequate funding of the aviation sector.
He said there was downward review of the 2015 budget, adding that it would negatively affect the performance of the sector, if not reversed.
“Funding has been a hindrance to effective implementation of projects in the ministry.”
He enumerated some of the activities being carried in his bid to reposition the sector.
“We want to turn the aviation sector into a customer-focus industry, delays of passenger in domestic flights are totally unacceptable to us, and poor service delivery is unacceptable and will be resisted.”
He added that the ministry had launched “aviation commit and passenger bill of right, involving getting all the agencies and partners in the aviation industries to commit to minimum levels of service.”
According to him, this is to ensure that the customer is truly the king in the aviation sector.
He said the ministry had equally introduced Performance Management System to ensure that staff in the industry performed maximally.
The minister said that the execution of the programmes for the sector was not without some challenges.
“One of the challenges I face is the fact that foreign airlines in Nigeria demand for secondary security screening at our airports.
“They are expressing poor confidence in the security system of Nigerian aviation sector.
“It’s not that our security system is not strong or good, but the perception of that security system is what we are trying to change and align with global standards.”