We Will Focus On Capacity Building To Curb Air Disasters- Air Force
The Nigerian Air Force said it has decided to focus capacity building of its officers and men to avert frequent incidences of plane crash.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar gave the assurance Friday during the graduation of Technical Safety Course 1,2017 at the Nigeria Air force Institute of Safety, Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State.
Represented by Air Vice Marshal Kingsley Lar, Abubakar expressed joy that the Nigerian Air Force can now conduct safety courses locally in line with the vision of capacity building.
“The six weeks course was the first of his kind to be held in the Country which was to equip Air craft Engineers with requisite knowledge and skills on air craft management”.
“Basically, the technical safety course is designed to trainee Aviation Psychology, Communication Skills, Emergency Response, Crises management, Material Handling, Technical Safety among others”.
Abubakar enjoined the technical engineers to display utmost level of professionalism and make constructive inputs in all conditions that require safety reorientation.
In his remarks the Head of Department of Nigeria Air Force Institute of Safety, (NAFIS), Rtd Grp Capt.Kolawole Opatundun said about 80 percent of aircraft incidents could be linked to human factor noting that with a course like this, it would become a thing of the past.
The Commandant, Nigeria Air Force Institute of Safety, (NAFIS) Ipetu-Ijesa, Commodore Haruna Muhammed described safety as the bedrock of efficiency, effectiveness and capacity preservation for a robust fighting force.
He said “the service had in the past relied on foreign training of safety personnel, which did not provide enough slots to meet our requirements and was a drain on scare resources”.
According to him, the present leadership of NAF in its resolve to reinforce a culture of self-reliance and vigorously pursue effective manpower development has repositioned the institute.
