Senate Committee on Aviation has indicated it readiness to convert the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria into the African International University of Aviation.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi , disclosed this in an interview with Newsmen shortly after leading the committee on a facility tour during an oversight visit to the college in Zaria.
He said sophisticated equipment and Aircraft maintenance facility couple with the infrastructural development in the college could better be used for university training of students in the Aviation industry.
He said his committee was optimally satisfied with the high level training equipment and facility in the college as well as maintenance culture imbibed upon by the college.
Other members of the committee in the tour are Senator Bala ibn Na’Allah, Senator Tokumbo Abiru and Senator Ezikiya Adinka.
The committee vowed to use all legislative instruments to ensure quick upgrade of the College to a full pledged University of Aviation.
The lawmaker further stated that already, a bill on Aviation before the committee has passed the second reading and the issue of converting the college to a university would be deliberated in the third reading.
According to him, the college if upgraded to university it will generate more revenue and save lots of foreign currency in the training of man power resources for the industry.
Briefing the committee earlier, outgoing Rector of the College, Captain Abdussalam Mohammed said part of the achievements recorded included the Re-fleeting of training Aircraft (Diamond DA 40 ng and DA 42ng), the procurement of 7 brand new training Aircrafts with additional 2 delivered recently.
Others were the supply and installation of Boeing 727ng full flight Simulator and ILS for flight training.
Captain Mohammed however, said that the institute was faced with inadequate budgetary allocation, shortfall in annual FGN capital budget released and inadequate number of required specialized man power.
He hoped that having gone round the College,the committee would Legislate to address the challenges.
In a related development President muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Captain Modibbo Alkali Mahmud as new Rector of the college.
Mahmud was appointed following the expiration of the tenure of Captain Mohammed.
