…As Nigeria makes top class in World Bank 2017 PPP ranking***
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in a move to boost security, has approved the postings and redeployment of 41 senior officers, comprising 19 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs), 14 Air Commodores and four Group Captains.
Others are two Wing Commanders and two Squadron Leaders.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, announced this on Sunday in Abuja, explaining that the postings and redeployment came as a result of the recent promotion of senior NAF officers to the next higher ranks.
He also highlighted that though a routine exercise, it was aimed at ensuring that NAF was effectively manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness.
“Prominent among those affected by the new postings are: AVM Lawal Alao who is now the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Zaria, Kaduna State.
“As well as AVM Olusoji Awomodu, who has been appointed as the Director Manning /Establishments at the Defence Headquarters,” he said
In addition, AVM Bello Garba haf been redeployed as the Chief of Logistics at Headquarters NAF and AVM Mahmoud Ahmed had taken over as Chief of Administration, also at HQ NAF.
Other appointments include: AVM Mohammed Suleiman as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, AVM Samuel Babalola as the Director of Personnel Management at HQ NAF.
As well as AVM Tunde Awoyoola as Deputy Chief of Defence Space Agency and AVM Haruna Mohammed as Commandant Air Traffic Services Training Centre, AVM Sambo Usman as Group Managing Director of NAF Holding Company.
Others are: AVM Remigus Ekeh appointed as the Director of Evaluation at HQ NAF while AVM Paul Dimfwina as Coordinator, Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee at HQ NAF.
Furthermore, AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi now the SASO at Headquarters Air Training Command, Kaduna State. while AVM Frank Oparah had been appointed as Director of Research at Defence Headquarters.
Also appointed are: AVM Peter Uzezi as Director, Earth Observation at Defence Space Agency, AVM Olusegun Philips as Director of Museum and Archives at HQ NAF, AVM Chinwendu Onyike as Director, Technical Services at Defence Intelligence Agency.
As well as AVM Emmanuel Wonah as SASO, Headquarters Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos State, AVM Abubakar Liman had been appointed as SASO, Headquarters Special Operations Command, Bauchi State.
AVM Mahmud Madi as Director of Launch Services and Space Operations at Defence Space Agency and Air Commodore Noah Oyibo as SASO, Headquarters Ground Training Command, Enugu State.
Meanwhile, Air Commodore Cosmas Ozouggwu wa s to take over as Director of Production at HQ NAF while Air Commodore David Aluku became the Director of Civil Military Relations also at HQ NAF.
According to Adesanya, the new posting also brought about changes at the Unit level. Some of the new Commanders and Commandants were Air Commodores.
They are: Edward Adedokun, who was appointed as Commandant NAF Institute of Safety, Kaduna State, and Air Commodore Paul Masiyer, as Commandant Military Training Centre, Kaduna State.
In addition, Air Commodore Moses Onilede was to take over as Commander 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot, Ikeja, State. while Air Commodore Elijah Ebiowe was appointed as Commander 115 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt.
“The newly posted and redeployed senior officers were expected to take over their new offices not later than Jan.2, 2018.
“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had directed the newly appointed commanders of NAF field units to attend a workshop being organised at HQ NAF on Jan. 3, 2018 for commanders.
Adesanya said Command appointments in NAF came with a lot of responsibilities, including the management of human and material resources.
He said further that the workshop was therefore, aimed at equipping/reminding commanders of their responsibilities and HQ NAF expectations in the conduct of their activities.
In the meantime, Nigeria is one of the top four leading voices in Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the 2017 ranking of the World Bank Group (WBG).
Ms Yelena Osipova-Stocker, Communications Officer for Infrastructure, PPPs and Guarantees Group of the WBG, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
She said that 2017 was a busy year in the world of infrastructure and public-private partnerships at the World Bank Group:
Yelena said that Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) came top four in the Leading voices in the field category .
She said that Nigeria was recognised for being the first country to launch the PPP Contracts Disclosure Web Portal.
Reacting to this, the acting Director-General, ICRC, Mr Chidi Izuwah, said that the portal had improved investor confidence in the country.
He said that within the first 100 days of President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration, he had earlier stressed his commitment to attracting the private capital and expertise needed to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit.
He said that the president’s commitment led to a renewed engagement between the World Bank Group and Nigeria to enhance the attractiveness of PPP in the country.
Izuwah said that the portal helped to fulfill President Buhari’s goals
of fostering transparency and accountability in PPPs, to attract
the much needed foreign capital and expertise.
He said that this would help scale up Nigeria’s infrastructure development through PPPs and promote sustainable growth and development.
“One major PPP transparency initiative is the study conducted by the World Bank Group’s PPP team between September 2016 and April 2017, using the Framework for Disclosure in PPPs.
”The team came up with a PPP Disclosure Diagnostic Report for Nigeria that examined the political, legal and institutional environment for disclosure of PPPs,” he said.
Izuwah said that the report made specific recommendations to improve disclosure in Nigeria by creating an enhanced framework for the scheme, applicable to all Federal Government PPP contracts.
On Sept. 22, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo launched the portal, sponsored by the World Bank and the ICRC.
The portal encourages proactive disclosure of contract agreement between the government and its contractors on PPP projects.
It was expected to provide information to citizens and relevant stakeholders such as contract title, supervising government agency, name of private concessionaire, contract sum and regular progress report on projects.
It is part of measures introduced by the present administration to ensure greater transparency and openness in all areas
of governance in Nigeria.
