The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation Technology issued a warning to critical stakeholders in the aviation industry, cautioning against any actions that may compromise safety standards throughout the country.
Hon. Thomas Eriyetomi, Chairman of the Committee on Aviation, delivered this warning during an interactive session with the management staff of the Federal College of Aviation Technology in Zaria, which took place at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Thursday.
During the meeting, the College’s Rector, Capt. Modibbo Alkali informed the lawmakers that their primary challenge is funding, emphasizing that they have received several awards under his leadership.
In response to inquiries from the committee chairman about the college’s efforts to integrate graduating students, the Rector explained that their training programs often take longer than usual because the graduating students consistently perform exceptionally well.
The Rector informed the lawmakers that his college is fully funded by the federal government, and some agencies owe them significant amounts.
He highlighted that government agencies such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) owe them money, despite the college’s continuous training and retraining of their workforce nationwide.
He also informed the committee that the NEMA personnel who were trained under them are performing exceptionally well due to the high-quality training provided.
When questioned about compliance with the federal character principle, he responded in the affirmative, indicating that the college adheres to the principle.
The Rector mentioned that the college has been in existence in the country for 59 years and that certain factors, such as adverse weather conditions, can occasionally cause delays in students’ graduation.