The Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, has said the Federal Government is committed to revamping and transforming the aviation sector.

She stressed the Nigerian aviation industry was undergoing unprecedented transformation and called on all stakeholders to collaborate with the government and work assiduously to leave a legacy for the future.

Oduah, who was represented by the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi, spoke during the graduation of the first Standard Pilot Course One of the International Aviation College, Ilorin.

She said the nation’s aviation industry prior to her assumption of office in July 2011 was lagging behind the rest of the world in all material aspect.

The minister added that it had an obsolete National Aviation Policy and stated that safety and security equipment in the airports was either obsolete or unserviceable.

According to her, there is complete infrastructural decay of all airport terminals, control towers and runways.

She added that there were poor management and governance structures in agencies and parastatals as well as acute personnel shortage.

The minister said the Federal Government had spent a large sum of money to address the infrastructural decay at the airports.

She added that the initiative by the Kwara State Government in establishing the college was a huge support to the efforts of the Federal Government to meet the capacity need of the aviation sector.

The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Fola

Akinkuotu, said it was needful to improve on the standards in the nation’s aviation industry.

He was represented by Director of Operations, NCCA, Capt. Abdullahi Sidi. Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, who was represented  by Air Commodore Babatunde Adekoya, said the Airforce would send 25 of its officers to the IAC for further training.

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said currently the trained aviators and allied professionals remained the first-rate in the aviation industry.

He stated that as the aviation sector expanded due to a global increase in requirement for air travel and the consequent increase in aircraft, so would the demand for well-trained aviation professionals to run the industry.

The governor said, “As administration sustaining Kwara State’s emerging reputation as an aviation hub, we are pleased to align with your bold reforms in the sector, especially the laudable Nigeria Aerotropolis Project.”