From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Four years after routine maintenance and completion of civil aviation requirements, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has resumed air ambulance services
In 2014, NEMA introduced its first air ambulance for emergency health care, which was eventually packed up in 2018.
Following changes in leadership, repair of the aircraft was completed in 2021 and returned from France.
This year, the present management finalised regulatory requirements for returning the aircraft to its Ambulance operations.
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The former Chief Pilot and Head of the NEMA Special Wing Wing, Captain Ibrahim Mamman, said the project was part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government of the time.
“The air ambulance can be used to transport patients with critical and traumatic health situations from anywhere the individual is,” Mamman had said.
“As a matter of fact, the jet can go anywhere in the world; it has a mile range of 3000 miles.”
An inaugural return flight was held as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq and Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habib Ahmed were conveyed from Abuja to Dutse, Jigawa State on official engagement.