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NAF Completes First C-130H Fighter Jet Maintenance
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has successfully completed its first in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) of a C-130H aircraft, NAF 917.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.
He said: “This is taking place few days after receiving three L-39ZA aircrafts that were reactivated in-country to enhance the number of serviceable fighter jets in its inventory.”
Daramola said the acceptance ceremony for NAF 917, also witnessed the flag-off of the PDM of another C-130H aircraft, NAF 913, at the 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot (631 ACMD), Ikeja, last Monday.
“The local reactivation of NAF 917, which was carried out by Messrs SABENA TECHNICS of France in conjunction with NAF engineers and technicians, involved extensive disassembly of the aircraft parts as well as inspection, repair and overhaul of components, amongst others.
“The involvement of NAF personnel in the reactivation was to further expose them to every stage of the in-depth maintenance process, with a view to building NAF’s inherent maintenance capabilities,” he said.
Daramola said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at the acceptance ceremony, stated that the reactivation would impact on NAF efforts toward providing routine support and combat sustainment for NAF as well as Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) operations.
He noted that the in-country maintenance had not only resulted in substantial foreign exchange savings for Nigeria but also marked the beginning of a new dawn in NAF’s strategic plan to develop a robust capacity for in-country maintenance and sustenance of platforms and equipment.
He quoted Abubakar as saying that the successful execution of the PDM had further reinforced the NAF’s belief that with the right attitude, dedication and encouragement, the service would make huge progress and achieve success in human capacity development and drive in support for national security imperatives.
“The significance of today’s acceptance ceremony can best be appreciated by acknowledging the critical role of airlift in ensuring that logistics requirements of our troops involved in various internal security operations are met within the shortest possible time.
“The C-130H fleet, in particular, has been one of the key fulcrums in providing sustainment to our troops involved in ongoing internal security operations through airlift and movement of troops, equipment, armament and other materials.
“The C-130H has also been critical to NAF’s response to emergencies or in fulfilling Nigeria’s responsibilities to international peacekeeping operations and ensuring stability, not just in the West African sub-region but also across the continent,” he said.
The CAS cited examples of operations in which the C-130H played critical roles to include ECOMOG operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone and airlift of troops to Congo, Mali and Sudan.
He said the C-130H also played critical role in the recent success of the ECOWAS Military Intervention Group (ECOMIG) operation in the Gambia through airlift of troops and materials to and from the theatre of operation and a host of other peacekeeping operations.
Abubakar appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari, for the priority given to NAF’s efforts to maintain its platforms and equipment as well as the support to acquire new ones.
The CAS emphasised that the in-country maintenance was to ensure transfer of technical know-how and experience from the technical partners to NAF engineers and technicians.
“This is in line with our plan to build in-house capacity to ensure that we domicile the skills and expertise required to carry out maintenance activities in order to better support and sustain NAF air operations, especially in the face of competing needs for national resources.
“This is also the main thrust of all our other aircraft maintenance, reactivation and Life Extension Programmes as well as PDM efforts being carried out in collaboration with other technical partners on the Alpha Jet, L-39ZA, Mi-35P, EC-135 helicopter and C-130H (NAF 913), currently docked for PDM.
“These efforts are also in tandem with our Research and Development (R&D) drive which has started yielding results in many areas such as local fabrication of tools and spares, some of which were utilised in the conduct of the recently conducted PDM,” he said.
The Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command (AOC LC), AVM Marshal Adeyinka Olabisi, expressed delight to have finally witness a successfully executed in-country PDM after previous attempts had failed.
He said that the acceptance of NAF 917 was a watershed in NAF’s long-term aspiration to domesticate in-depth maintenance of the C-130H Fleet, which was the strategic objective for the establishment of the ACMD.
He explained that the PDM was a calendar inspection conducted at 6-year intervals or after 5,000 flying hours.
Olabisi said the 631 ACMD also witnessed the reactivation of unserviceable hangar infrastructure and training of personnel in the use of some special equipment which had been lying idle in its warehouse since the C-130H fleet was delivered in the 1970s.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.