By Kingsley Omonobi, ABUJA

The Nigerian Airforce has commissioned its new ultra-modern headquarters extension office in Abuja.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar explained that the ongoing modernisation of facilities and the improvement in accommodation in Airforce barracks nationwide despite a difficult economic climate is an illustration of the Federal government’s commitment to the enhance the status of the service.

“Let me say that these projects represent only a fraction of the work that has been undertaken over the last few months. Our decision to build an additional office block was necessitated by the acute accommodation problems we faced since 1996 when NAF headquarters relocated to Abuja from Lagos ”, he said.

Continuing, Umar noted that “even though all NAF headquarters elements relocated to Abuja , as directed by government then, offices were scattered in various parts of the city for want of space.

The NAF office complex, Abuja

This situation resulted in operational, logistics and administrative inconveniences’, which in turn affected the overall efficiency of the service despite several attempts made by my predecessors to address the challenge”.

Air Marshal Umar said the situation was further aggravated by the review of the NAF structure vis-à-vis Vision 20:2020 and aspirations of the defence and security sector.

“On assumption of office as CAS exactly one year ago, I was particularly concerned with how to ameliorate the situation. After considering several options (including rent and, or outright purchase of property at very ridiculous rates), it was decided to embark on the construction of a new purpose-built office block that would blend in with and enhance its surroundings.

We have consequently achieved our long term objective of ensuring that all NAF headquarters staff branches and directorates operate from under one roof”, he said.

Regarding the second project which is the expansion of the remembrance cenotaph at the NAF headquarters, the Air Chief said, “The NAF set out to expand and improve on the existing cenotaph to accommodate the names of all our fallen heroes since inception of the service in 1964.

This objective is not only to honour the fallen heroes but to encourage those who are still serving to give their utmost for the good of our great nation, knowing that they will always be remembered and appreciated”.