President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commissioned a new Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospital at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport Bauchi.
The Airport launched in 2014,besides operating as civil aviation facility is also housing Nigeria Air Force Special Operations Unit.It was recently by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in the state.
Speaking at the ceremony,the Chief of Air Staff,Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar said the Nigerian Air Force Hospital is a 60 bed health facility made up of an Accident, Emergency, Intensive Care units.
The hospital also has Twin theatres, Radio Diagnostic unit, renal dialysis, ophthalmic, dental, physiotherapy, maternal and new born care and a mortuary.
He revealed that the hospital is equipped with modern diagnostic and life support equipment intended to provide medical care to critically ill patients such as those wounded in combat.
Though, the hospital is set up to provide cater for the Air Force personnel and the Armed Forces,its services have been extended to the host communities in compliance with the NAF tradition.
The Air Force boss added that “we hope this will further enhance the cordial relationship that already exists between the NAF and the host communities in the state”.
“On improving the medical health care services available to our troops in the NE, a medical trauma unit has been created, equipped and attached to medical evacuation helicopters as an integral part of the medical evacuation cell of the air task force of OPERATIONS LAFIYA DOLE”.
The Chief of Air Staff maintained that NAF has established Emergency field hospitals in Dalori and Bama IDP camps and upgraded the state clinic in Maikohi IDP Camp in Yola.
“In the same vein, NAF has also organized series of surgical programmes in which over 1, 871 IDPs with eye and other surgical problems were operated and treated free of charge”.
“The NAF humanitarian activities did not only provide succor to the IDPs, but also filled in the vacuum created by the insurgency in the National Health Care system of the NE”. He stated.
Giving his blessings, President Muhammadu Buhari commended the Nigerian Air Force for constructing the hospital, noting that “it is of international standards ‘.
He also charged the Nigeria Air Force to ensure optimal performance,commended Service Chiefs,and military commanders for giving priority to the welfare and well-being of the troops which motivated them to engage terrorists in vigorous battles.
The President also in Bauchi commissioned road projects,and launched the distribution of 500 farm tractors meant to increase farm produce in Bauchi state and Nigeria at large. Also launched were Agricultural implements.
In a speech shortly before flagging off the distribution of the tractors and agricultural implements and farm inputs, announced announced his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election on All Progressive Congress (APC)
He informed that the federal government is committed in its efforts to boost agriculture, education, security and fight corruption and corrupt practices.
Commenting on education,Buhari urged Nigerians to give education priority and urged them to send their children to school to enable them work and become self-reliant and to contribute to the growth and development of the country.
He joked that if he had not gone to school,perhaps,he would have been less Ke the Herdsmen troubling farmers across the nation with his Cows.
And assured Nigerians that he will continue to fight all corrupt practices saying government would continue to provide protect lives and properties to the people.
Bauchi state Governor Mohammed Abubakar,had earlier announced that his government is committed to boost agriculture by supplying 500 tractors and other farming tools that included power tillers, water pumps, and fertilizers, modern planting of seeds machines, ox-plough to boost agriculture from the grass root.
He commended president Buhari for his giant stride in the areas of agriculture and his laudable programmes that save the socio economic activities in the country.
Buhari who arrive at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport was received by Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar his Adamawa State counterpart Senator Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow , Chief of Defence Staff General Abayomi Olanisakin, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar Minister of Defence Brigadier General Mannir Dan Ali rtd, Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewale, Minister of Women Affairs Hajiya Jummai Alhassan, Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris top government functionaries.
But in a swift reaction People’s Democratic Party PDP Bauchi State Chapter has announced that all projects earmarked to be commissioned by Buhari in Bauchi are not worthy of the President visit as the construction work on the roads are ongoing.
The Publicity Secretary of the Party Yayanuwa Zainabari stated this yesterday while commenting on the Presidential Visit, He said “though we are happy that the President has visited our state, the projects he came to commission.besides the Air Force Hospital are not worthy of a presidential visit.
The roads commissioned were still under construction, they are not completed, they were merely decorated by the State Government.
Zainabari said even workers and pensioners entitlements are yet to be settled by the State government some allowances were not paid and gratuities were not paid despite numerous intervention from the Federal Government.
He said ahead of president Buhari’s visit Government decorated round about and painted the metropolitan roads as it it’s like Sallah celebrations.
PDP spokesman said its embarrassing government in three years has no single completed projects went ahead and claimed to have purchased tractors for distribution to farmers , because it s the responsibilities of local government to procured tractors for their farmers not the State.
