Buhari Restates Commitment to Change Nigeria

John Shiklam in Kaduna

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reiterated the determination of his administration to bring about desired change to the country. He disclosed this during the induction ceremony of the first indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ‘TSAIGUMI’ held at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base, Kaduna in Kaduna State.

The president noted that the successful launch of the UAV was a clear indication that his administration is interested in developing local content not only in the military, but across other sectors of the economy.

He expressed satisfaction with the efforts of current leadership of NAF adding that the significance of the milestone of national technological development cannot be over-emphasised.

President Buhari said the world is witnessing an ever increasing surge in the employment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in military operations across the world. According to him, standard air weapons such as missiles, fighters and bombers work against well-defined targets.

“Government remains determined, despite numerous challenges to bring about the much-needed change that will lift our beloved country to its rightful place as a major economic and political force on the world stage.

“As I outlined in my New Year Day broadcast to the country, this administration has designed series of key projects to dramatically overhaul national infrastructure and overcome the deficit in that vital area. ”Let me once more commend the gallant men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, for their tireless efforts towards defeating Boko Haram and all other threats to our nation’s security, thus ensuring that government can proceed with its developmental activity without hindrance” Buhari said.

He stressed that “from the military perspective, the added capacity for Intelligence, surveillance and Reconnaissance provided by the TSAIGUMI will boost ongoing and future security operations. As this project moves into the next stage, which is mass production, it would create employment and possibly generate revenue as Nigeria’s first military export product.”

Earlier, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar said NAF will continue to support mechanisms to harness, promote, commercialise and diffuse locally developed technologies for the production of globally competitive goods and services that utilises local raw materials.