The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has requested the Rivers State Government to hand over the Mother and Child Hospital and a state-owned primary school located within the Air Force base in Port Harcourt to enable the service manage the facilities.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, made the request on Thursday during a courtesy visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Aneke said transferring the facilities to the Nigerian Air Force would enable the service to maximise their use, particularly in providing healthcare and educational services to personnel and host communities.
The Mother and Child Hospital was built by the immediate past administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike.
The CAS noted that military hospitals in many developed countries rank among the most sophisticated and expressed confidence that the Air Force would efficiently manage the facility if handed over.
“Currently, about 80 per cent of the outpatients visiting our base hospital are members of the host community. Transferring the Mother and Child Hospital will enable us maximise that facility while easing access during emergencies,” he said.
Aneke also urged the Rivers State Government to embrace modern surveillance-driven security strategies, including the deployment of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to tackle pipeline vandalism, oil theft and other criminal activities.
“In today’s warfare, drones and UAVs have changed the game. You can have a drone in the air for two days without refuelling and quickly relay information to security agencies on where to act,” he added.
The Air Chief commended the state government for its continued support to the Nigerian Air Force, particularly the rehabilitation of the runway at the NAF base and the donation of an Augusta (AW) 139 helicopter to enhance security operations in the state.
Responding, Governor Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to maintaining a strong partnership with the Nigerian Air Force to enhance security in Rivers State.
The governor noted that Rivers State and the Nigerian Air Force had enjoyed a long-standing relationship, with successive administrations supporting the service in its operations.
He recalled that the Air Force base provided air transport services when the Port Harcourt International Airport was temporarily closed for rehabilitation.
Fubara explained that the decision to donate the Augusta 139 helicopter to the Air Force was taken by the State Executive Council after considering that the aircraft, which had been lying idle, could be better utilised in combating insecurity, especially in the waterways.
“It was a decision of the Executive Council that since we have this asset and we are not using it, and if the Nigerian Air Force needs it to fight insecurity, especially oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism in our waterways, the wise thing to do is to allow them use it,” he said.
The governor added that the upgrade of the runway at the Air Force base had also provided the military with a secure and discreet environment for sensitive operations.
While promising to consider the request for the takeover of the hospital and school, Fubara said the partnership between the state government and the Nigerian Air Force remained vital to maintaining peace and a business-friendly environment in the state.
“We want to assure you that our relationship with the Air Force is unshakeable. Without you and other security agencies, it would be difficult to maintain the peaceful and business-friendly environment we currently enjoy in Rivers State,” the governor said.
