By Doris Ferdinand
The Nigeria Air Force has said it will be needing a sum of N142.045 billion for her 2021 operations.
The chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar disclosed this during the 2021 budget defence of the the Nigeria Air Force with members of house of Representatives, committee on Air Force.
The Air Force chief said the proposed budget comprises of N101 billion for personnel, while N8.8 billion and N31.4 billion are for overhead and capital estimates respectively.
“A total of N142.045 billion is proposed for Nigeria Air Force budget for 2021. This is made up of about N101 billion for personnel, while N8.8 billion and N31.4 billion are for overhead and capital estimates respectively.” Abubakar said.
He further disclosed that the capital estimate includes the procurement of fighter aircraft which is being acquired from Pakistan amongst others.
“A breakdown of the proposed capital expenditure is as follows. We have the 3 JF17 thunder fighter aircraft that the Air Force is acquiring from Pakistan and we are proposing about N17.3 billion for this. The procurement of targeting bolts for the JF17 thunder aircraft, we are proposing N3.7 billion.”
“The procurement of various aircraft parts and ammunition, we are proposing N15 billion, procurement of various small arms and ammunitions, about N150 million. Acquisition of three PV unmanned aerial systems, two by ground patrol stations and associated accessories at about N271 million.”
“Procurement of various aircraft spares N566 million. Infrastructural development in newly established NAF bases by contract will amount to about N1 billion. Upgrade of existing barrack infrastructures, we have N2.5 billion.” Abubakar said.
Similarly, the Air Force Institute of Technology Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Abdulganiyu Adeyinka Olabisi appealed for an upward review of the capital overhead appropriation to enable AFIT attend to important needs. He said a take-off grant was never given to the institute since it’s inception in 2017 which has hampered infrastructural development in the institute.
” Normally, when a university or polytechnic is established, a take-off grant is given to enable the institute provide the basic infrastructure for take-off. Regrettably, AFIT has not been given take off grant since its inception in 2017 when the President Mohammadu Buahri signed the establishment act into law.”
“I appeal for the upward review of our capital budget to the tune of N4 billion to enable us address infrastructural need.”
The chairman of the committee, Hon. Shehu Koko Mohammed, however lauded the government for releasing about 97% of the 2020 budget to the airforce.
According to him, “I want to commend the government for releasing almost 97 percent of the budget to the airforce. This is the first time that is being done in the history of the country. I believe they have done that because of the role of the Air force in the fight against terrorists and bandits across the country.”
