Nigerian Airforce plans to establish office of the ombudsman to enable the civil populace channel their complaints and grievances against the service or its personnel.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the force spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet.
The statement explained that the office, which is also tasked with addressing complaints by NAF personnel, would serve as an independent instrument that would provide an objective and compassionate channel for seeking redress.
It maintained that in establishing the office,the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao took cognizance of the need to provide an avenue for those outside the service as well as NAF serving personnel to ventilate their grievances against the service for immediate solution.
The statement noted that the Air Chief strongly believes that putting in place appropriate mechanisms for redress would ensure harmonious relationship and substantially reduces chances of disaffection, improve trust and confidence with the civil populace.
It pointed out that such mechanism is aimed at increasing motivation and promoting personnel loyalty among NAF serving personnel.
The statement added that since the establishment of the force, its personnel have relied mostly on the provisions of executive regulations in channelling their complaints for redress, stressing that in some cases, complaints were referred first to immediate superiors, even when such complaints are against the the superior officers.