10th February, 2016
Femi Adi/Kaduna
The Nigeria Air Force, NAF, on Wednesday commissioned an extended military air field runway, control tower, water reservoir, junior and senior cadet hostel facilities as well as classrooms in Kaduna.
Speaking while commissioning the projects at Airforce Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, said there is need to provide robust welfare system for personnel of Nigerian Air Force to fast-track end of insurgency in the country.
Though, Abubakar reiterated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government’s commitment to providing the required highly trained and technically sound manpower to tackle crime, he harped on good welfare package for the NAF personnel who are in battlefront in North-east and other operational areas in the country.
According to him, “the need to create a conducive environment for the personnel as a motivation to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently informed our decision to embark on welfare programmes and projects across the length and breadth of the country.”
While pointing out that nation is passing through dire security challenges which are complex in nature and do not only require highly trained and technically sound manpower to tackle, he said it is important to add that the air force must obey the directive of President Buhari that all service chiefs must take the welfare of their staffs very seriously.
“The projects are the brain work of the current leadership of NAF; the projects were initiated, designed and built by men of Airforce.
“Welfare remains a major priority of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari,” he added.
Air Marshal Abubakar further said efforts are being made to provide more decent accommodation, healthcare services and welfare for military officers across the country, adding that the gesture will boost their morale in the war against insurgents in north-east Nigeria.
The Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, who represented Governor Nasir El-Rufai, commended the Nigerian Air Force for the successes recorded in the renewed vigour of flushing out the insurgents in the NorthEast and cattle rustlers in NorthWest zone.
According to him, the present administration’s determination to build modern accommodations for is personnel is not only a motivational measure, but also in line with the vision of the Chief of Air Staff to reposition the service into a highly professional and disciplined force.
El-Rufai also expressed optimism that the dastardly bombings the country is currently faced with is ephemeral, applauding the NAF for her contribution and leading role in operation Sharan-Daji, an operation aimed at degrading cattle rustling in the North-west.
He saluted their courage and resounding successes in the renewed vigour of routing and degrading the capabilities of the insurgents in the North-east to almost nothingness.