In furtherance of its commitment to ensure accommodation sufficiency for its personnel to enable them perform their statutory role of defending the territorial integrity of the Country effectively and efficiently, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on 2nd June 2020, commissioned an additional block of 18 x single bedroom accommodation for Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) at the 211 Quick Response Group (211 QRG), NAF Base Owerri, Imo State.
Speaking during the commissioning, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, represented by the Air Officer Commanding Special Operations Command (AOC SOC), Air Vice Marshal Charles Ohwo, noted that the newly-built and furnished NCOs’ accommodation was aimed at boosting troops’ performance through the provision of conducive working environment and decent living conditions.
The CAS disclosed that the 211 QRG Owerri as well as the QRGs in Gusau, Zamfara State and Ipetu-Ijesha, Osun State, were established in 2016 under the SOC, following a careful assessment of the internal security challenges facing the Nation at that time, with the objective of adding value to existing architecture to tackle the security threats in the South East, North West and South West Zones of the Country, working in synergy with other security agencies.
He noted that the decision was taken based on the conviction that only highly-trained, well-equipped and properly quartered personnel would be effective in dealing with such security threats.
He said the fact that the 211 QRG had contributed significantly to dealing with militancy, bunkering, kidnapping and other forms of criminality in Imo State as well as other parts of the South East Geo-political Zone proved that the decision was worthwhile. He therefore commended personnel of the Unit and urged them to continue to work tirelessly, along with other security agencies, to ensure the protection of citizens of the State.
Air Marshal Abubakar added that, to achieve more operational bite, the Unit would be supported whenever the need arises with helicopter gunships and other air assets in order to be effective in ensuring that the people of the Region are safe and secured. He stated that the other ongoing projects that were at various levels of completion would also be commissioned to further ease the accommodation problems in the Unit.
While thanking the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, for providing the resources being expended to improve personnel welfare, the CAS enjoined personnel to appreciate the facilities the Service had provided for them by ensuring that they are well maintained and responsibly utilized. He further charged them to remain law abiding citizens and good ambassadors of the NAF by maintaining good relationships with their host communities and other security agencies in the State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commander 211 QRG, Group Captain Elisha Bindul, stated that the newly commissioned residential accommodation would ease accommodation deficiency in the Unit as well as further motivate personnel to continue to put in their best to enhance the collective operational capacity for the attainment of the NAF’s objectives. He assured the CAS of the commitment of the personnel of the Unit to continually strive to ensure that the NAF lives up to its constitutional responsibilities.
Also present at the commissioning ceremony were the Director of Works, Headquarters NAF, the Commander 34 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army and the Commandant Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College as well as other invited guests.