Premier aviation training institution, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna state has raised the alarm that lack of funding is crippling activities at the institution.
The acting rector of the institution, Joseph Imalighwe, pleaded that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development should increase allocation to the college to enable it meet its capital project expenditure.
According to the acting rector, the training institution’s status as ICAO TrainAir Plus Training Centre Excellence requires more resources to continuously improve the college.
He further stated that the institution recently established the Airport Emergency Training (AET) School to offer initial firefighter courses, competence aircraft live fire simulator and fire fighting course and airport emergency procedure course.
He stated further that the institution requires massive funding to complete some capital projects that will ensure it meets the requirements of its students.
Imalighwe said the college has made a giant stride in the last one year since he assumed office, adding that the college has entered into a collaboration with the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU) and other organisations for training.
He also disclosed that NCAT currently contributes averagely 45 percent of the aviation industry licensed personnel requirements, and is faced with challenges ranging from inadequate training facilities like hostel accommodation and classrooms, high cost of aviation gasoline and inadequate number of required specialised instructors due to high attrition to the industry.
Others include encroachment on the college land, security of college premises, aged college buildings, inadequate budgetary envelope while the staff remains the lowest remunerated in the aviation industry.
“We want the federal government to increase our funding particularly in the areas of capital projects. Our budget envelope is way too small considering the ongoing project we have at hand. The college has an annual budget envelope of an average of N3billion and the ongoing project that the college has tripled that. So, it will require more funding to enable us to achieve our objectives to take the college to greater heights.”
The acting Rector also disclosed that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has recertified the institution after meeting its required standards.
The acting Rector of the college, however, described the feat as an enviable one for the training institution adding that his mission is to take NCAT to a level where training will be refocused.
“As the college is moving away from the traditional training to the digital model, NCAT is in association with a number of other training institutions and universities to cooperate and improve the curriculum,” he stated.
Speaking of the college Boeing 737 simulator that has remain inactive for sometime, the Rector disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has sent experts who came and evaluate it saying “they will soon start work on it so that will be functioning in earnest once NCAA certifies it.”
The college and NCAA are closely working together assiduously to ensure it comes on board as the minister has already sent people to look at it,” he said.
“We want the federal government to increase our annual budget, we need lecture theatres, offices, meeting rooms, hostels.
We require the purchase of a fire tender to be dedicated for the airport emergence training school. We also require about 200 computers for the ICT centre as well as capacity training for the college instructors.”
Even the NCAA came a week after the ICAO officials to recertify us also. We have smooth sailing with those organisations.”
“In spite of the short period training has been sustained, MOU has been sustained, the college has undergone tremendous improvement in areas of facility upgrade and development of new ones, staff has been undergoing various trainings.we are trying to sustain it.”
“We have just bought the Zaria Hotel because we understand the limitations of accommodations within the college. The contractor is starting renovation works. The hostels are not enough and the building of our guest 150 rooms, the contractor has taken possession of the place so that he will start construction.”
“The college fire simulator is working very well, the simulator that will have challenges with is the flight simulator, the Boeing 737 simulator, the minister has sent some people to come and evaluate it, they will soon start work on it so that will be functioning in earnest once NCAA certifies it because initially they said they needed training on it to be able to do the certification.”
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