The Kwara State Government has taken delivery of 50 per cent of equipment ordered for the International Aviation College (IAC), Ilorin.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq disclosed this during the flag-off of a weeklong training course for members of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) being conducted at the college.
The equipment, it was gathered, included Diamond 40 Aircraft engine trainee airplanes used by the school, and propeller aircraft, which are already at the college’s hangar.
Furthermore, the government recently purchased 10,000 litres of Jet A1 for the college, while it also renovated its fuel dump.
The Governor, represented by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Afeez Alabi, reiterated his commitment to the growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria by massively investing in the state’s aviation training institution established 12 years ago for the training of pilots.
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According to him, 50 per cent of the orders had already arrived at the college, assuring that the school would witness new growth in the New Year.
He said: “The industry is capital intensive. This is a sector that should be a booster to the economy of the country. We all need to form a synergy that will take this sector to where it should be. We have the continuity of government in Kwara State.
Director-General, Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, stressed the commitment of the aviation regulatory agency to the capacity development of the staff and other stakeholders to keep them abreast of the dynamics in the industry.
“We, at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, consider training (including initial, on-the-job and recurrent training) as a key component of aviation development in Nigeria.”
The acting Rector, IAC, Ilorin, Capt. Okatayi Yakubu, said the training would aid in correct reports and terminologies for aviation reporters.
The Chairman, LAAC, Olusegun Koiki, called on the State Government to properly fund the college and make it competitive.
