The Kwara State Government has announced that it will be aquiring new equipment to boost training at the International Aviation College (IAC), Ilorin.

Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Governor of Kwara State, stated this on Monday in Ilorin, the State Capital during the flag-off of a weeklong training course for the members of League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) being conducted at the college.

Abdulrazaq who was represented at the occasion by Abolore Alabi, the Commissioner for Tertiary Institution, Kwara State said the State Government had taken aviation as one of the pivotal sectors for development of the state, stressing that the government just placed orders for items that would further upgrade the school and make it more competitive.

According to him, 50 percent of the orders had already arrived the college, assuring that the school would witness new growth in the new year.

Though, Alabi did not mention some of the new orders for the college, but the State Government recently placed an order for Diamond 40 aircraft engine, one of the trainee airplanes used by the school and propeller aircraft, which is 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.

Alabi noted that the aviation industry is capital intensive, but insisted the government would not abdicate its duties for the college.

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.

“Before the end of this year, there will be some positive news about this college. We have placed orders for additional items for the college. I can tell you that 50 per cent of these equipment have arrived the college already.”

Also, Musa Nuhu, the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in his speech said that aviation industry is dynamic and to keep abreast of latest developments, innovation and trends in the sector, there was the need for continued human capacity development by all players in the sector.

He lauded LAAC for its concerted and consistent efforts at providing robust reportage and professional coverage of every development in the industry, which he said had aided the growth and development of the aviation industry in Nigeria.

He added: “We, at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, consider training (including initial, on-the-job and recurrent training) as key component of aviation development in Nigeria. In fact, training and retraining, can be liken to a capital project as it is critical to our operations as the apex regulatory Authority for Civil Aviation.

Earlier, Okatayi Yakubu, acting rector, IAC, Ilorin said that the training for LAAC members was timely, adding that the training would aid correct reports and terminologies for aviation reporters.

Yakubu however, enjoined journalists to eschew sensational reporting, stressing that this may further scare away potential air travellers.

He assured that the training would be of immense benefits to the participants.