By Christel Odili
Air Marshal Abubakar expressed the desire of the NAF to partner with the 2 universities in Akwa Ibom State in the area of Research and Development towards further improving the aircraft maintenance capability of the NAF.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this commissioning a newly built block of boys’ hostel at Air Force Comprehensive School (AFCS) Uyo. He said it had always been his desire to partner with the nation’s higher institutions of learning for research.
The CAS added that similar partnerships with other Nigerian universities had already revealed the abundance of talents as a result of which the NAF was able to resolve some aircraft maintenance related challenges.
He that a team of NAF officers from the Air Force Research and Development Centre would soon visit the 2 universities in the State in respect of the planned collaboration.
The Air Chief stated that the befitting new hostel, which was designed and constructed by engineers of the NAF Directorate of Works, is dedicated for the comfort of SS3 students. The new hostel is thus expected to be a source of motivation for the junior students to work hard to get to SS3 Class. In his remarks at the commissioning ceremony.
The CAS commended the staff and students of AFCS Uyo for the exemplary and impressive record they had shown over the years in the Senior Secondary School Examination (SSSE) results as well as other external examinations and competitions.
Air Marshal Abubakar also recognized that the efforts of the NAF in improving the quality of education in all its schools could not have been possible without the unflinching support of President Muhammadu Buhari. “We are immensely grateful to Mr President for providing the resources and enabling environment for the NAF to effectively deliver on its constitutional roles”, he said.
In his response, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State disclosed that the quality of the hostel competes favorably with hostels of old in Nigeria’s premier universities. He therefore congratulated the CAS on the quality of work done and for improving on the facilities available in the School.
He particularly commended the performance of the School in the last SSSE during which nearly 100 per cent of the students had credits in a minimum of 5 subjects, including Mathematics and English Language.
The Governor, promised that the State Government would support the NAF’s efforts by completing the building of a block of staff quarters, which it had earlier embarked upon. It is noteworthy that many of the students in the School are indigenes of Akwa Ibom State.
He further called for the establishment of a NAF Base in Uyo towards enhancing security in the State. He stated the readiness of the State to support such a base with the modern aviation facilities available at the Akwa Ibom International Airport Uyo.