By Olukayode Michael
No fewer than 546 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officers have been provided accommodation the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar have said.
He spoke at the commissioning of a renovation of a block of 30 2-bedroom flats for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) in Kaduna.
He also disclosed that the construction of a block of 10 x one-bedroom officers’ transit quarters and renovation of another officers’ transit quarters were also ongoing, adding that these, when completed, would accommodate additional 50 personnel.
The CAS, who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command (AOC ATC), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Muhammad Suleiman, said projects like this were initiated in all NAF Bases to ensure conducive work and home environments for personnel and their families in line with the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces directives for enhanced welfare for personnel.
He further said that providing decent housing for officers, airmen and airwomen remains one of the priorities of Headquarters NAF Policy thrust, towards ensuring that personnel and their families live in a befitting accommodation and are therefore better prepared to respond to various exigencies of the Service. The CAS said the administration remains committed to upgrading existing structures as well as building new facilities as part of infrastructural development drive in all NAF Units. Air Marshal Abubakar disclosed that the administration would continue to provide the much needed support to sustain the tempo of operations against insurgency, kidnapping and armed banditry. He therefore urged personnel to re-double their efforts to reposition the Service into a highly professional and disciplined force for effective, efficient and timely employment of air power in response to Nigeria’s National Security imperatives.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commander 453 Base Services Group, Air Commodore Idi Sani, said that the event is a remarkable milestone towards improving the living conditions of NAF personnel and adding to the phenomenal development on the Base. He said NAF Base Kaduna would continue to remain grateful to the CAS for his unwavering support towards the provision of shelter and other basic amenities on the Base. He disclosed that the beneficiaries of the structure have vowed to reciprocate the exceptional gesture with continued commitment to duties while developing and upholding a high maintenance culture. Some of the beneficiaries were handed over their keys at the occasion. The Commandant Air Force Institute of Technology, Chief of Staff ATC and Commanders of co-located NAF Units graced the occasion.