Airforce assures personnel of adequate welfare, equipment

The Nigerian Airforce (NAF) says it will continue to sacrifice immensely in providing its personnel adequate welfare and equipment to tackle the security challenges in the country.

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshall Saddique Abubakar, said this on Tuesday at Alagbado community on the outskirts of Ilorin where he inaugurated some projects for the 303 Medium Airlift Group Airmen and Airwomen.

He said that the leadership of the Airforce had put the welfare and motivation of its personnel as a cardinal thrust so as to achieve maximum support.

Abubakar inaugurated the Airmen’s mess and a block of 6×1 bedroom among other projects at the permanent site of the Medium Airlift Group.

According to him, the need to create a conducive environment to accommodate Airforce personnel informed the decision to embark on massive infrastructural expansion all over the country’s bases.

Abubakar was represented by the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Airforce, Air Vice Marshall Ibrahim Yahaya.

The Airforce boss said the whole idea was to continue to put in place the right condition for personnel to enhance operational efficiency and optimise service delivery for the benefit of the nation.

He also said the attainment of peace all over the country was key to national development, adding that the critical role being played by the Medium Airlift Group in ensuring peace could not be over emphasised as timely logistics resupply remains central to the success of military operation.

“The Nigerian Airforce is very mindful of the welfare needs of personnel who operate and maintain the various platforms employed for airlift as well as the other administrative staff.

“While the service may not be able to adequately meet all those needs at once owing to other competing needs, the current Nigerian Airforce leadership will not relent in efforts aimed at ensuring better living conditions for all personnel.

“The foregoing considerations spurred me on to approve provisions of the projects we are inaugurating today and in coming weeks.

“We hope to commission more projects in this unit as evident in other structures that are at various stages of completion,’’ he said.

Abubakar said that the projects indicated that President Muhammadu Buhari had taken the welfare and motivation of the personnel as a cardinal thrust of his administration.

Also speaking, the Commander the 303 Medium Airlift Group, Capt. Patrick Ebiye, said it was noteworthy that when the Chief of Air Staff assumed the leadership of NAF in 2015, his vision was clearly to reposition the NAF into highly professional and disciplined force through capacity building.

Ebiye said that the 303 base would continue to support the NAF in its efforts to add values to the force.

Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, said it was pleasing to note that through the support of the state government, the land was secured by the Airforce and had been put to use.

“I am delighted to join you here today for the inauguration of the Joint Airmens’ Mess and a block of bedroom apartment for the airmen.

“No doubt, providing suitable accommodation is essential to ensuring the welfare of the personnel and will assist them in the performance of their duties.

“The good people of Kwara are glad to have officers of the Nigerian Air Force here in our state.

“Indeed, the presence of the Force in Ilorin is a boost to the security of the metropolis and the state in general,” Ahmed said.

He commended the efforts of the Airforce in the protection of lives and property in the state and Nigeria at large.

The governor gave an assurance that the state government would not relent in providing the Force and other security agencies adequate support that would aid the discharge of their official duties.