The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has signed an agreement with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on the use of the former’s metallurgical laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
Speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the university in Lagos, the commissioner of AIB, Mr. Akin Olateru said the laboratory is for the benefit of Nigeria, students of higher institutions of learning and industries in the country.
Olateru said the sighting of the laboratory equipment in the country would save Nigeria a lot of money which would have been spent on air tickets, hotels and others for researches oversea.
He stressed that the collaboration between AIB and the university would further enhance each other’s capabilities.
The commissioner further said the agency had written to 12 higher institutions of learning for possible collaboration on the use of the facility.
However, he said only the University of Ilorin, UNILAG and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka had responded.
He emphasised that the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) partners with public and private organisations in the US and wondered why same could not be replicated in Nigeria.
“I believe we can make this country great with collaborations. We need collaborations like this to help us add values to the country. We actually wrote to 12 universities, but only three responded to our letters, which is very unfortunate.
“This is why I want to thank your leadership for the signing of this MoU because it shows the efforts you are putting in place to increase the knowledge base of this great institution of learning,” said Olateru.
The AIB chief expressed satisfaction with the responses of the three universities, but noted that any other institution willing to partner with it was free to do so.
In his response, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said university education is about research.
He said the University is a research-oriented institution adding that the institution collaborates with other universities and institutions across the country and beyond.
“The direction of research now is about collaborations and networking. I am glad that we are starting this on a good note. I want to assure you that we will make maximum use of this with our students. Our intention is to make our students known locally and visible at the global stage and I am happy we are achieving that so far. On our own, we will give this collaboration 100 per cent support it deserves,” he said.
