The Nigerian Air Force has graduated another set of 146 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) from the Leadership and Management Course at the Military Training Centre in Kaduna.

The course, which commenced in February 2018, was designed to equip selected personnel with up-to-date knowledge in human and material management as well as adequate leadership skills to function optimally for efficient service.

Participants at the course were exposed to series of leadership and management models, Service writing, office administration as well as effective communication skills. Other areas covered during the course include General Service Knowledge with emphasis on the roles of the NAF, the CAS Vision and its key drivers, NAF core values and traditions, instructional techniques and contributions of the NAF to maintenance of Internal Security in the country.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony on Friday, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar reiterated the commitment of the NAF to continue to build needed capacity across all specialties and cadre in the Service so as to build an efficient force structure.

Abubakar, who was represented by the Air Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Abdul-Wahab, noted that the strategic vision of the CAS has no doubt afforded the SNCOs the opportunity to acquire new skills to function effectively in the performance of their duties.

He, therefore, urged the graduands to always be at their professional best to maintain the high standards for which the NAF is renowned. He further charged them to ensure that their subordinates adhere to those high standards, which is the hallmark of the current NAF leadership. In addition, he challenged them to be innovative, proactive and to always make judicious use of available resources.

The CAS also told the graduating SNCOs to be disciplined in order to further bridge the gap between the officers and the junior airmen/airwomen in their respective units. On the forthcoming election, the Guest of Honour reminded the SNCOs to be mindful that the NAF, and indeed the rest of the Armed Forces, remained apolitical in the discharge of its constitutional duties.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Commandant Military Training Centre (MTC), Air Commodore Paul Masiyer, disclosed that the huge support being received from the Headquarters NAF underscores the commitment of the Service to human capacity development, which is one of the key drivers of the CAS vision. The Commandant stated that since the inception of the present administration, the Service had expanded necessary facilities at the MTC, resulting in an increase in the training capacity of the Centre from 40 students to 146. He therefore thanked the CAS for his visionary leadership, which had made the NAF a reliable force in the quest to safeguard the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of certificates to the graduands by the Guest of Honour. Awards were also given to those who distinguished themselves during the course. Master Warrant Officer Bwala SD received the CAS Award for the best overall graduating student while Master Warrant Officer David D and Master Warrant Officer Ahmed J went away with the Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command Award and Commandant’s Award for coming second and third respectively, in order of merit.

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