Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has assured the Air Officer Commanding the newly established Ground Training Command of the Nigeria Air Force, Enugu, Air Vice-Marshal, Samson Okon Akpasa, of his administration’s readiness to offer necessary assistance and support towards the success of the operations of the Command.
Gov. Ugwuanyi gave the assurance when the new commander along with his entourage paid a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu, to inform the governor of his recent posting to head the new Command in Enugu.
The governor who welcomed and congratulated Air Vice Marshal Akpasa on his posting to “this new and obviously, very important and strategic office”, which is equivalent in status to the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of an Army Division, noted that the feat was a demonstration of the confidence the hierarchy of the Nigerian Air Force reposed in him to provide effective leadership for its formations in the new platform.
Gov. Ugwuanyi acknowledged that officers and men of the Nigeria Air Force, along with other security agencies in the state, have all contributed to helping the state maintain her enviable status as one of the safest and most secure in the country.
He added that his administration has always maintained and enjoyed a cordial working relationship with the Force through its pre-existing formations and establishments in the state “all of which have consistently partnered with and assisted us in many areas of necessity more especially, security and education”.
“As a matter of fact, I consider myself privileged to have received the pioneer head of the new Command and therefore, on behalf of the good people of Enugu State, I welcome you to the state and I assure you of our warm wishes, goodwill and friendship”, Gov. Ugwuanyi pledged.
Earlier in his address, the Ground Training Commander, thanked the governor for the warm reception, stating that it was “the present security architecture of the country that warranted the restructuring of Nigerian Air Force, which gave birth to Ground Training Command” in order to ensure effective and efficient security of every part of the country.
He said that the new Command is very strategic to the Air Force, considering the fact that it has a lot to do with aircraft owned by the Air Force and the training of its personnel to achieve a high level of professionalism.
Air Vice Marshal Akpasa, while soliciting the support and maximum cooperation of the state governor and other stakeholders in the commencement of the Command headquarters, expressed optimism that its location in Enugu will eventually make the realisation of the Air Force objectives possible.
“I will like to seize this opportunity to thank the Chief of Air Staff for giving me this opportunity to pioneer the establishment of the Ground Training Command, Enugu. I strongly believe that in no distant time, all structures that are needed for the restructuring of the Command will be put in place”, he said.
