THE Kwara State government has pledged its absolute commitment to the development of aviation sector in Nigeria through its investment in the International Aviation College (IAC), Ilorin.

Dr Abolore Alabi, the Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, made the pledge during the flag-off of a week-long training course for the members of League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) at the aviation college in Ilorin.

Dr Alabi, who representated Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq at the flag-off, said the state government had taken aviation as one of the pivotal pillars for the development of the state.

He hinted of how the government recently placed orders for items that would further upgrade the school and make it more competitive. Abolore said 50 percent of the orders had already been taken delivery of by the college.

Among the items ordered by the state government for the school include the diamond 40 aircraft engine, one trainee airplanes used by the school and propeller aircraft, which has already arrived the college's hangar and the recently purchased 10,000 litres of Jet A1 for the college, while it also renovated its fuel dump.

The Commissioner, though described the aviation sector as hugely capital intensive, assured that 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.”

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, who said the sector was dynamic and in order 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.

Captain Nuhu used the opportunity to commend the 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.

“We at the Nigerian 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 likened to a capital project as it is critical to our operations as the apex regulatory authority for civil aviation.

“The authority's personnel are exposed to appropriate trainings all over the world to enhance and maintain their skills and competence. On the other hand, you will all agree with me that it is a statement of facts that the media is critical to the growth of global aviation in general and Nigeria in particular,” he said.

In his speech earlier, the Rector of the aviation college, Captain Yakubu Okatahi, described the training for the aviation journalists as timely as it would aid and correct reports and terminologies for aviation reporters. He appealed to the media to eschew sensational reporting which he said may further scare away potential air travellers.