The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has decried the high costs of fuel prices as well as the introduction of surcharges.
According to him, the cost of Jet A-1 was about N1,200 per litre as against the N360 per litre the service budgeted for.
Abubakar described this as one of the issues affecting the effectiveness of the service.
Abubakar spoke during the visit by members of the House of Representative Committee on Air Force, led by the Chairman, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, to the NAF Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, AVM. Edward Gabkwet, Abubakar pleaded with the National Assembly to permit the Air Force to import Jet A-1 fuel to sustain ongoing air operations.
The statement partly read, “The CAS also used the opportunity of the visit to reel out some pressing challenges militating against NAF’s effectiveness, one of which is the astronomic rise in fuel prices and the introduction of surcharges.
“Currently, the situation is worsening, as the cost of Jet A-1 fluctuates at almost #1,200 per litre as against the budgeted #360 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.”
Abubakar also requested the establishment of air operations command and control infrastructure among others.
“Other challenges enumerated by the CAS include 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, the need for an air operations command and control infrastructure as well as the need for an enhanced Air Defence and Airspace Surveillance capabilities, among others,” the statement added.
