Successful Military Operations, Outcome of Sound Administration, Says Air Chief

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has said that sound administration and effective personnel management form the bedrock of successful military operations.

He stressed that without strong administrative backbone, even the most brilliant strategies, advanced platforms or innovative technologies cannot deliver their intended outcomes, no matter the size of the air force.

Air Marshal Abubakar said this while declaring open, Nigerian Air Force Administration Personnel Seminar 2025.

He also said that a well-managed workforce is essential for ensuring the right skills are available, strategically deployed at the right time and place to effectively achieve mission objectives.

He revealed the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has experienced remarkable growth over the past 13 years, with an 86 percent increase in its overall population.

Stating that the number of airmen and airwomen has doubled since 2013, driven by higher intake rates to meet operational demands, the CAS said the most significant growth surge occurred between 2017 and 2020.

He revealed that the officer-to-airmen ratio currently stands at approximately one to six.

He said that under his watch, over 530 officers were commissioned and about 2,300 airmen were recruited, stating that if the service maintains this growth rate, it is projected to exceed 30,000 personnel by 2027.

This rapid increase in staff numbers, he said underscored the need for modern, computerized human resource management and proactive administration.

To this end, Abubakar emphasised the imperative of reviving NAF’s efforts to computerise its personnel management group for seamless record keeping and upgrade accommodation management software to ensure equitable and efficient resource distribution.

His words: “Similarly, integrating data analytics to forecast manpower needs, alongside implementing digital platforms for training and career development would significantly enhance decision making, optimise resource allocation, and boost overall operational efficiency.

“Let me seize this opportunity to emphasize to all Nigerians that the Nigerian Air Force remains unwavering in its commitment to national security and the total defeat of terrorism and banditry.

“Our relentless operations against criminal elements reaffirm our determination to protect innocent lives and restore peace across the nation.

“Let me make it clear that airpower will extend the long arm of the law, bringing justice to criminals hiding in ungoverned space.

“We will find, fix and strike all those who take arms against the state, and we will not relent until Nigeria is safe for all.”

Abubakar however lamented that despite these efforts, challenges such as absence without leave, drug abuse and substance misuse, as well as the negative influence of social media, continue to pose challenges.

In his address of welcome, the Chief of Administration (COA), Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, said the seminar is a product of deliberate efforts to galvanise administration personnel specialists into critical thinking concerning NAF’s emerging manpower requirements in a time of positive change.

The NAF leadership, he said has placed high premium on effective administration of personnel welfare, which is a prerequisite for its operational success.

He said the theme for this year’s seminar, is “Optimizing Contemporary Human Resource Techniques to Enhance Ongoing Transformation Initiatives of the NAF”.