Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Gombe state governor, Inuwa Yahaya, on Tuesday lauded the Senate committee on Nigerian Airforce for supporting the establishment and speedy take-off of the Combat Reconnaissance Group in Gombe.
He was speaking when members of the Senate Committee on Airforce paid him a courtesy call at the government house.
Governor Yahaya told his visitors that Gombe is the only state that shares boundaries with all 5 other states in the northeast which makes the state become a hub for victims of insecurity in the sub-region thereby overstretching human and material resources of the state rendering government with no option than to seek support from the federal government through partnership with a view to addressing insecurity and other challenges.
He said, “That is why we jumped at the opportunity the day Nigerian Airforce requested for a site to establish an operational base we instantly approved the allocation of 230 hectares in the state.”
The Governor lauded the chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar for swinging into action in actualizing the operational base in Gombe.
He also briefed the committee on the condition of the Gombe international Airport which he said requires the National Assembly’s intervention for upgrade for smooth operational activities.
” Gombe international Airport came into being through synergy between Gombe state government and the Federal Government on a 50-50 basis and ever since the Aviation agency charges a huge amount of money for maintenance and other sundry services, today the state owes close to a billion naira as such Gombe state government requests the intervention of the federal government in clearing this backlog”.
He further noted that the Airport services are much needed by the Nigerian Airforce as well as other security agencies, hence the need to partner in upgrading the Airport for smooth operations.
Earlier in his remarks, chairman of the Senate committee on Nigerian Airforce, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah said they were in Gombe on an oversight engagement on the ongoing forward operational base project.
While commending the Governor for allocating a vast land for the the establishment of the Combat Reconnaissance Group in Gombe and for providing needed support for the take-off of the base, the Senator told his host that his committee is available for any support or Intervention to ensure quick and timely resolution of any demand regarding Airport operations.
Sen. Na’Allah was positive that as chairman of the Senate committee on Nigerian Airforce and vice chairman of the committee on Aviation, he is ready to support Gombe state government in whatever way possible considering the contributions the Governor has offered in national development.
” The bold step you have taken in allocating 230 hectares of land for the establishment of Airforce operational base is highly commendable and has taken care of almost 85% of security challenges in the region”.
