By Jennifer Yusuf
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has so far provided accommodation to 546 personnel in NAF Base Kaduna in the last 4 years.
Indication to this effect was made by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, while commissioning a renovated block of 30 x 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 while noting 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 these 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 a priority 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 the infrastructural development drive in all NAF Units.
Air Marshal Abubakar also disclosed that the administration would continue to provide the much needed support to sustain the tempo of operations against insurgency, kidnapping and armed banditry and urged personnel to re-double their efforts to reposition the Service into a highly professional and disciplined force for effective, efficient and timely deployment of air power in response to Nigeria’s National Security challenges.
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.
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 to the Base.
