The Chief of the Air Staff, (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has charged personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to sustain their level of commitment towards adding value in addressing current and emerging security challenges in the Country. The CAS stated this today, 2 December 2020, while commissioning 2 newly-remodeled/renovated blocks of airmen’s accommodation at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base (SEAFB) in Ikeja, Lagos. The renovation of the 2 blocks of accommodation, which house 72 airmen and their families, was executed by the NAF Directorate of Works, through direct labour.
The CAS, who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Logistics Command (LC), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Lawal Alao, stated that the Service would not relent in providing decent and conducive office and residential accommodation for personnel in all its Bases across the Country. He noted that the commissioned projects were part of the current NAF Administration’s infrastructural renewal programme aimed at addressing accommodation and infrastructural challenges at SEAFB and other NAF Bases across the Country. “This is why, despite the limited resources available, we continue to, on annual basis, renovate some blocks of personnel’s accommodation while also building new ones”, he added. He also used the occasion to express his gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, for giving priority attention to the needs of the NAF to enable it more effectively carry out assign roles.
In his welcome remarks, the Commander, 651 Base Services Group, Ikeja, Air Commodore Razaq Olanrewaju, highlighted that, in furtherance of the CAS’ commitment to ensuring decent accommodation for personnel, 6 blocks of airmen’s accommodation had been renovated in Year 2020 alone, while 3 new blocks of 6 x 3 bedroom flats had also been commissioned.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of keys to beneficiaries of the newly-remodeled blocks. Also present at the event were the Chief of Staff LC, AVM Cosmas Ozougwu, and the Director of Works Headquarters NAF, Air Commodore Abiola Amodu, as well as other senior NAF officers.
