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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, has informed members of the opposition parties, notably, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) that the opportunity to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is still there.
He urged them to leverage the “open transfer window” to join the APC train to fix the country under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
Keyamo who spoke at the public presentation of the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM), the first private aeronautic university in Africa, in Abuja, on Friday, informed the opposition members that the “transfer window will soon close” urging them to jump into the ship as quickly as possible to avoid being left behind.
He said: “This transfer window is still open, but it might close sooner than expected. So, i encouraged the opposition party members to join us before it’s too late so we could sail the ship of Nigeria together.”
He restated the commitment of the federal government to support local investment and manpower development, commending the proprietor of the new university for his vision, determination, and doggedness that culminated in establishment of the university.
He challenged the university and its management not to be distracted but to focus on its vision. “There are huge gaps that this new university is here to cover. The shortcomings of our flying school in Zaria are what you will bridge. Obviously, our flying school offers limited programmes, but you are here to do multiple things to fix the aviation sector.
“The future of aviation in Africa will indeed be very great here. We want to say that we are short-staffed in certain parts, in certain areas in aviation. Even the Zaria aviation school is struggling in those particular areas. One of the areas is the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC). I just want to make it public. We are short-staffed in terms of air traffic controllers. They are so much, they are trained as skilled professionals that it is very difficult to produce them.
“So, we have the option now of even retaining those who have retired, extending their tenure, bringing them back on contract, on contract terms for them to serve us. So we expect that you concentrate in those areas where we are short-staffed. Like I said, air traffic controllers, there is a dearth of air traffic controllers in our sector.
“African aviation is the fastest growing sector. It is going to be the fastest growing sector amongst all sectors in Africa in the next few years. I don’t have the figures with me here, but we are expected to grow so fast within the next few years that Africa will be looking for professionals, looking for pilots, looking for aeronautical engineers, air traffic controllers.
“So, we need to begin to look ahead. We need to be ahead of these dynamics that are coming, this growth that is coming to Africa. And this could not have come at a better time. Welcome to the sector. Welcome to the ecosystem, and we hope to work with you together.”
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The proprietor of the university, Isaac Balami, in his remarks, recalled with nostalgia, the tortuous journey that culminated in securing a provisional licence for the operation of the university.
He assured industry stakeholders that the university is ready to bridge the identified gaps in the aviation services. “I took me some number of years to get my footings in the different areas of the aviation sector, and that was because of the limitations that we had in trainings. But I can tell you that what took 20 years to do in terms of training will take four or five years to achieve in IBUAM.
“At the end of the day, you will not just go and just get theory after five years and graduate, but you will get every year, every weekend, every public holiday, aside the idea of going for Ramadan fast holiday and Christmas, every other holiday will be spent in the hangar, flying, aircraft engine shop, landing gear shop, structural repair, sheet metal work, avionics, wheels and brake, and so on and so forth.
“So at the end of the day, you are producing a 20, 21 years old boy or girl that can work unsupervised anywhere in the world. Number 14 of our schedule of tuition has to talk about giving those children competency in digital simulation that qualifies you to actually have the capability to walk from Lagos campus straight into Boeing, Mercedes, Range Rover, Airbus, and you can be useful. So we are preparing.
He announced that students intake has commenced, urging interested and qualified candidates to apply. “Though, the cost is not cheap, but we would be looking for windows to support candidates who are enrolled in the school.
The Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of IBUAM, Prof. Paul Jemitola said the university aims to build a new generation of aviation and management professionals equipped with practical and leadership skills.
“Every student will have the opportunity to master piloting and leadership alongside their primary course of study. When you graduate, you will earn your degree and also a private pilot’s licence and international aircraft maintenance certification aligned with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency standards,” he said..
The Vice-Chancellor said the institution will strengthen Nigeria’s aviation education framework and help develop the technical workforce required for the continent’s growing air transport industry.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in her remarks, promised that 100 ladies across the six zones will be trained in this university every year.
