Expatriates are taking over jobs of Nigerian pilots – NCAT boss

Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Capt. Chinyere Kalu, in this interview, reacted to the allegation that pilots and engineers trained in the country are not being employed by the operators, as well as spoke on efforts at transforming the school and the commencement of helicopter training, among other issues. She spoke with Correspondent, Abel Orukpe reports. Excerpt:

What is happening at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology and what efforts have been put in place to ensure smooth learning in the foremost aviation college?

A lot has been happening in the college, there has been a tremendous improvement in the college in any area you mention. On welfare, there has been a lot of improvement, equipment, infrastructure and raising the standard in terms of matching with international standard and best practice. Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) has been admitted into Train Air Plus, which is the training arm of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the college came in initially as associate member but now we have become a full member after developing aerodrome preparatory course. This course that NCAT has developed means that anywhere such topic is being taught, they are going to borrow the training package NCAT has developed for that purpose. It means NCAT has produced something that will be used worldwide and it will become a reference point for training organisations and that is in the area of aerodrome emergency preparedness, we need it in the country and they need it in other places as well. It is amazing that this school in this northern part, you may think is behind the background has actually become a reference point when it comes to aerodrome emergency preparedness.

Which equipment has NCAT acquired for the training of its students?

We have equipment, we have been able to acquire Visual Tower 3D for the training of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs). We have been able to acquire ALSIM similar for the training of pilots and we have also been able to acquire a Boeing 737 aircraft for the training of cabin crew. The college now has a dedicated power supply and in NCAT today, we have electricity supply for 24 hours.

The students are studying in the comfort of air conditioners and fan both in the classrooms and hostels and our training and activities are going on uninterrupted by lack of electricity. We can now operate our equipments without fear of any disruption. In terms of infrastructure, our auditorium is 98 per cent completed. This project has been going on for close to 10 years but when we came on board, we said no we need the building for various reasons, large gathering and part of this side rooms for classes, hence the need to have it completed. I have worked hard assiduously with the contractor and consultant to make sure that it is near completion. The same thing with the library, the college, having gone into post graduate diploma course, which hitherto has not been in place and the college has obtained accreditation from National Board for Technical Education (NBTC) to offer Higher National Diploma (HND) and National Diploma (ND) programmes. We have ensured that the library that has been under construction is completed to meet the need of the students and instructors.

In the areas of training materials, books and reference materials for the students, the college has built two hostels within this period. We have executive hostels for students and another 70 room hostels to accommodate students. A lot of things are really going on in this college now. We strived to introduce new innovations and working very hard to meet international standard and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2012, did declared NCAT as the best training institution in the whole of Africa and in 2013, the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) declared NCAT as centre of excellence. These are few of the good things that are happening.

How many courses do you offer in NCAT and do you intend to add more courses?

We offer over 150 courses in NCAT. Certainly, we are growing and our intention is to make NCAT one stop shop for all aviation training need. Yes, we have a number of courses and our intention is to go on to offer degree courses, the process we are pursuing, seeking accreditation from Aviation Accreditation Board International, which is an organisation based in the USA. Once we have that, we will be able to offer degree course and we intend to offer courses on aerospace engineering, we want to offer degree course along with flying dispatchers’ course, aviation management, among others. There are a lot of courses we would want to offer beyond what we are offering now and also in line with aviation training.

Do you have enough manpower to take these courses or you will employ more?

We certainly have to employ more as our courses develop. We will require more manpower for that purpose and eventually we will employ but for now, we want to pursue and make sure that we have these courses running before employing more manpower.

How many training aircraft do you have now and how many do you need to acquire for training?

We have about 23 aircrafts and we need more. We are in the process of re-fleeting because the single engine aircraft we have been flying are being depleted by the day due to age and incidences. Many time when we have an incident with an aircraft, it is almost impossible for us to repair the aircraft and put it back on line because we don’t have such capabilities and that is why we are even striving to put our third hanger into use. By the time we begin to have repair facilities and propeller overhaul and all the other facilities there, we will be able to do in-house repairs, which in turn will help us to repair some aircraft that have been damaged instead of condemning them. It is extremely expensive to dismantle damaged aircraft, freight it out of the country, have it fixed and brought back. It is extremely expensive and un-economical. Most of the time when we have a little damage, we tend to condemn the aircraft but when we have such facilities here, we will be able to repair the aircraft and put it back into use. That is what we intend to do. We are in the process of re-fleeting to have new set of aircraft to augment what we have on ground so that by the time we continue with our expansion in east, Lagos and other places, we will have all that we need for that purpose.

How many students do you have in the college at present?

We have over 500 students. In the past we used to have 250 and maximum 350 but now over 500. Come September when we will have the new intakes or students for our HND programme, the number will even increase. In fact we are anticipating that we will have well over 1,000 and this is the number we have at any given time because our students have short course, some six months, three months and one year. There is this problem of expatriates’ pilots taking over jobs that Nigerians can do.

Do you think we are short of trained Nigerian pilots in this country?

Our goal and desire is to make sure that in few years time we will not need expatriates pilots and engineers in this country. But my disappointment and discouragement is the fact that our Nigeria businessmen or operators are not patronsing home grown pilots and engineers. They will rather employ a fresh pilot with 200 hours from USA or any where instead of employing our own home grown and well trained pilots, who may even have up to 250 or 300 hours. I don’t know where that mentality or way of thinking is coming from. In the past, when Nigeria Airways was in existence, as people are graduating, they are taking up by Nigeria Airways, Aero contractors and before you know it, they will staff them as second pilot, second officer and eventually command. Our people are well groomed, we have one of the best standards in the world and we want to encourage operators to please patronise our people as it is the only way this industry can grow and that is the only way we can check this capital flight. This capital flight is uncalled for. NCAT is doing its very best and other flying schools are coming up here and there and we are working assiduously to make sure that the manpower need in the industry is met but our people are not too patriotic by not employing these people that we are producing. There is need for them to be patriotic and employ these people. There are many of them out there looking for jobs. Jobs that they can do better than any foreigners because they were trained in Nigeria, they know the terrain, they know the weather and they have the standard. Our people are working all over the world with the licence and training we have given them.

In those days, state governments do sponsor their indigenes to NCAT for pilot training. Are they still doing that now?

Some state governments are sponsoring their students but not as much as desired. In particular Kano state has sent some students. 500 students of their indigene to go abroad and what they have been bringing here is not even up to 100 and the quality of training we have here is as good as if not better compared to what they are going to get abroad. We want to appreciate governor of Kano State for the number he has sent here. In fact we are expecting about 45 cabin crew students to come and train here from Kano. We have the manpower, facilities to absorb them and it will be much cheaper for them than sending them abroad and they will still have to accomplish the same political points and gains they want to make in having their indigene trained. Niger state government has their students because we opened the campus in Niger state. Kaduna state has been sending students to this place and Niger Delta too has sent some students including Benue. In the past Sokoto state and others but we still need a whole lot more. The number mentioned is not up to 10 whereas we have 36 states. There are more for others to do.

The school is currently fixing runway lights, how long will it take to get this done?

That project should finish in the next two weeks.

The college has acquired Helicopters, what informed the acquisition of these Helicopters?

Over 80 per cent of Helicopter pilots in the country are foreigners and you know Helicopters are flying and used for off shore oil rigs. It is a very sensitive area and key to our economy and should be well secured. For having such operations done by foreign pilots, you will agree with me that it is not the best for our nation. It has been on and it has been going on. Secondly, that deprived our young boys the opportunity to pursue that career to earn that money. If Nigerians are trying to take over fix wings and are in the forefront, I don’t see the reason why rotary wing should be left in the hands of foreigners especially the sensitive nature of it. So we decided that it is high time we started training helicopter pilots.

 

 

[Daily Independent]

One Comment

1. 

   Allwellperfect

   January 27, 2016 at 3:23 pm

   Please we need our licenses since 2012 till date, what have we done to deserve such treatment, please in God’s name, we are crying please FG… Pilots from Ncat Zaria