The Nigeria Air Force is poised to set up the office of Ombudsman to hear complaints of stakeholders.

Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement on Friday, said Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao approved the establishment of the office.

Mr Gabkwet said the office would be tasked with the responsibility of also addressing complaints by NAF serving personnel.

The office of the Ombudsman will also operate as an independent mechanism that will provide an objective and compassionate channel for seeking redress, the spokesman said.

According to Mr Gabkwet, Mr Amao took cognisance of the need to provide an avenue for NAF serving personnel and those outside the service to ventilate their grievances against the service, for immediate resolution in setting up the office.

He added that such mechanism was also aimed at increasing motivation and promoting loyalty by serving NAF personnel.

Mr Gabkwet recalled that since the establishment of NAF, its personnel had relied largely on the provisions of Executive Regulations, to channel their complaints for redress.

“While in some cases, complaints were referred first to immediate superiors, even when such complaints are against such superior officers.

“Also, many persons outside the service have, over time, found it difficult to channel their complaints and grievances to the service due to the absence of a distinct channel.

“The new office will no doubt provide an avenue to address such issues“, he said.

Mr Gabkwet also recalled that in July, the CAS approved the establishment of the Directorate of Veteran Affairs in a bid to stimulate better welfare packages for NAF veterans and their families.

“The Directorate is, among other responsibilities, charged with interfacing with similar structures in sister services to harness necessary benefits for NAF retirees, under existing federal government programmes for veterans.”

The director noted that all these efforts were in tandem with Mr Amao’s vision of enhancing and sustaining critical airpower capabilities required for joint force deployment in pursuit of national security imperatives.

Mr Gabkwet added that the efforts were also ultimately aimed at restructuring and re-organising the service for better service delivery.

(NAN)