The Nigerian Air force is seeking for an increase in budgetary allocation to fund newly established units of the force.
Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff who appeared before the House Committee on Air Force on Friday to present the 2020 budget performance demanded for an improved budgetary allocation in 2021.
Defending the 2021 budget, the marshal noted that in spite of the expansion in the force with the creation of 11 new units, not much had changed in the overhead allocation.
He stated that the running cost of all these units is weighing heavily on the Air Force and that is why we are soliciting for increase in the overhead.
“In terms of personnel, the Air Force has about 11,000 personnel and right now, we are recruiting another 1000 and it is huge if you look at the infrastructure.
“If you look at the aircraft we have acquired, we are expecting 17 more; in addition to that, we are hoping to get three Special Mission aircraft under the Deep Blue project under the Federal Ministry of Transport.
“We expecting eight UABs from China; so, with all these, the number of personnel will increase and the expansion of the units, the overhead is grossly inadequate.
“If you look at the aircraft we have acquired, we are expecting 17 more; in addition to that, we are hoping to get three Special Mission aircraft under the Deep Blue project under the Federal Ministry of Transport.
“We expecting eight UABs from China; so with all these, the number of personnel will increase and the expansion of the units, the overhead is grossly inadequate,” he said.
A sum of N142 billion had been proposed for the 2021 operations of the agency. According to Abubakar, the sum will cover for personnel emoluments, overhead cost and capital expenditure.
“The Super Tucano Aircrafts is coming Kainji and the runway there is not in good shape; we did not want to go for contract because the cost will be too much for government.
“We have civil engineers within the Air Force and our works personnel can be mobilised and so we want it to be done by direct labour so we can achieve the repairs of the runway before the arrival of the Super Tucano by second quarter of next year,” he said.
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