By Mohammad Tijjani
Kaduna – The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar said on Thursday that the Nigerian Air Force was working toward self sufficiency in the provision of all its needs.
Abubakar gave the assurance at the inauguration of Nigerian Air Force Investment Limited (NAFIL) Tailoring Workshop at NAF base, Kaduna.
The air chief said that it had always been his desire to see the air force attain self-sufficiency in virtually all its needs.
“This gathering, therefore, offers us the opportunity to celebrate one of such achievements aimed at self-sufficiency by way of establishment of the NAFIL tailoring workshop,’’ Abubakar said.
He said that the establishment of the workshop would go a long way in ensuring timely provision of uniforms for personnel at cost effective rate.
“It would also provide an avenue for the hands-on training of our airmen on tailoring speciality which the service would ordinarily have sought elsewhere at substantial costs.”
Abubakar said with the current economic challenges, it “behoves on all of us to key into the Federal Government’s policy of prudent management of resources and self-reliance.’’
He said that this could done by coming up with ideas that would ease the burden on limited finances and foreign exchange.
“The establishment of the NAFIL Tailoring Workshop not only meets this desire but would also go a long way in changing the perception of NAF personnel towards the company, which is wholly owned by all NAF personnel.’’
Abubakar said that the Nigerian air force with over 53 years of existence was ripe to provide its uniforms and accoutrements without outsourcing sensitive and highly restricted materials to third parties.
“ I must therefore commend the efforts of NAFIL Board of Directors and its management for their laudable vision and for steering the company in the right direction.”
The CAS called on all officers, unit commanders and commandants of its various schools to ensure adequate patronage of the new workshop for all their uniform requirements.
Earlier the Managing Director, NAFIl, AVM Abubakar Bagare said the workshop has 86 different industrial tailoring machinery.
Bagare said the facility would serve as a training establishment for airmen recruited into the NAF.
“Let me express our gratitude to NAF Headquarters which has already directed that 2,000 unit of number 4 trousers be produced by the workshop,’’ he said
