Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara has said that the rehabilitation of the runway at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, reflects the strength of collaboration between the Rivers State Government and the Nigerian Air Force in tackling national security challenges.
This is as the governor praised President Bola Tinubu for equipping and repositioning the security institutions in the country.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the runway on Thursday, Fubara described the project as a “statement of intent” that Rivers State stands firmly with the Armed Forces.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, and sent to newsmen.
“It is a great pleasure and a distinct honor to be here today at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, for the commissioning of this rehabilitated runway. What we commission this day is more than concrete and asphalt. It is a statement of intent—a declaration that Rivers State stands firmly with those who stand guard over Nigeria,” the statement partly read.
He said the government and people of Rivers State are proud to be associated with the historic intervention, noting that the NAF remains one of the institutions upon which Nigeria’s unity rests.
“We recognize the Nigerian Air Force as one of the pillars upon which our nationhood rests—an institution whose men and women continue to make enormous sacrifices in defense of our territorial integrity, in the protection of our critical national assets, and in the pursuit of peace and stability across the length and breadth of this country,” Fubara continued.
He acknowledged Tinubu for providing leadership that continues to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, pointing out that national security is the foundation for every other area of development.
“As Commander-in-Chief, Mr. President has remained firm in his commitment to equipping and repositioning our security institutions, in the clear understanding that national security is not merely one item on the list of national priorities—it is the foundation upon which every other item rests. There can be no thriving economy without security,” he said.
Fubara stressed that because Rivers State is the heart of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, the security of the state is directly tied to the security of the nation. “Rivers State occupies a strategic position in the economic life of this nation. As the heart of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, our communities, our waterways, our industries, and our infrastructure carry a burden of national significance. The security of Rivers State is therefore inseparable from the security of Nigeria itself,” Fubara added.
