The rector, International Aviation College (IAC), Ilorin in Kwara State, Capt Yakubu Okatahi, has urged the federal government to look the way of the institution in the areas of subvention and granting of duty waivers on importation of aircraft and spare parts for training.
He made the appeal while addressing aviation reporters at the end of a one-week training for members of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) at the college at the weekend.
He recalled that in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic the federal government supported airlines but the college got nothing.
Besides, he said the school has not benefited from the government’s waiver policy on importation of aircraft and spares.
“We are appealing to the federal government; we are hiring Nigerians. Secondly, the federal government is giving money to private airlines; we need the same treatment. Thirdly, we pay customs duty on our imported aircraft and spares. I think the federal government should look into that and give us waivers, subventions or grants,” he added.
Okatahi said the goal of the college is to train Nigerian pilots for the aviation industry and to effectively achieve that there must be palliatives to cushion the effects of the present economic realities.
“It is pretty expensive; everything is based on dollar, the aircraft is in dollar and spare parts we are buying is dollar,” he said.
He said the state government has done its best in terms of funding but stressed that subvention and support from the federal government would project the institution the more.
“The state government is trying its best; it is proactive and keen on developing the school, salaries are paid. The state government released money for aircraft and parts purchase, fuel and upgrade of the college but it will be very good for the federal government to help us. The waiver on spare parts should be extended to us; they should give us subvention yearly because we are training Nigerians”, he said.
The rector announced that the college would introduce engineering and cabin crew courses in the new session to shore up its revenue.
Besides, he disclosed that a plan was in the works to increase the school fees from N12.5 million to over N17 million for a full course.
“Yes, we need partners and investors, we need more funding, we source our forex from the third tier market, it’s been very expensive. All expenses are based on dollar; therefore, it is reasonable to increase the fees. Each student pays N12.5 million for a full course but we could go higher than N17.5 million.
“If colleges like the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) that gets (government) subvention from various sources can increase fees to over N17 million, ours may be higher because we don’t get any assistance from the federal government. In South Africa, it is about N28 million, excluding feeding and accommodation and in the United States, it is about $40, 000,” Okatahi said.
