The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, made the appeal when members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Air Force, led by its Chairman, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum visited NAF headquarters on Wednesday as part of their oversight responsibilities.
The Nigerian Air Force has sought the support and permission of the House of Representatives to import Jet A-1 fuel.
It lamented the high cost of fuel as well as the introduction of surcharges.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, made the appeal when members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Air Force, led by its Chairman, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum visited NAF headquarters on Wednesday as part of their oversight responsibilities.
Abubakar revealed that the current cost of Jet A-1 was about N1,200 per litre as against the N360 per litre the service budgeted for, noting that it had become one of the issues affecting the effectiveness of the service.
He said, “Currently, the situation is worsening, as the cost of Jet A-1 fluctuates at almost N1,200 per litre as against the budgeted N360 per litre. We are soliciting that the NAF be permitted to independently commence the importation of Jet A-1 fuel to sustain our ongoing air operations.”
A statement issued by Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, at the end of the visit, explained that CAS also enumerated other challenges including the need to enhance NAF’s tactical airlift capability to support both land and maritime forces in various theatres of operations as well as disaster relief efforts in remote areas.
He sought the assistance of an air operations command and control infrastructure. He also stressed the need for enhanced Air Defence and Airspace Surveillance capabilities, among others.
The Committee Chairman was accompanied by the Deputy Chairman, Honourable Rufus Ojuawo, representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1 as well as 18 other members.