The Ogun state Government has expressed its readiness to train its youths in aviation in order to choose their careers in the sector. Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Ogun State Governor, gave this assurance recently in Abeokuta, Ogun State during a courtesy visit by Mr. Segun Adesanya, the Managing Director of Santos Aviation Ltd.

Adesanya, had intimated the State Government of his company’s intent to contribute to the development of the state through investment in the aviation sector.

Taiwo assured the company of government’s support in actualising his project in the state. The CoS stated that the new Ogun Airport, situated at Iperu, Remo in the state was full of potential and urged the visiting entrepreneur to take full advantage of the project and invest in the sector.

Also speaking, Engr. Gbenga Dairo, the Commissioner for Transport, Ogun state, told Adesanya that the airport project had been ongoing for the past three years, with its runway built to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. He disclosed that the airport was given the nod to operate as sunset airport, but revealed the plans of the government to operate the cargo airport for 24 hours. He emphasised that the equipment to make this happen was being awaited by the State Government.

The commissioner also disclosed that light aircraft were already using the airport, but assured them of speedy approval from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for full commercial operations in the next few months.

Dairo, who was full of commendations for Santos Aviation, said the state was considering a curriculum on aviation courses in some technical institutions to enable students interested in aviation to participate.

Earlier, while briefing the government representatives on his mission, Adesanya said he intended to give back to society through technology transfer in youth development in the aviation carriers. According to Adesanya, there was the need to involve the state due to the capability of local use in aviation by having potential training for an apprenticeship, which Santos Aviation would sign off the students, and would be eligible to obtain Airframe License from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States after taking the examinations.

He explained that this could be done in partnership with local schools, such as technical and polytechnics, with 18 months of training under the FAA certificates in airframe mechanics, amongst others. According to him, lack of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in the country had led to dearth of professionals in the sector. He, however, assured that when an MRO is sited in Ogun airport, it would ease the already saturated Lagos airport and boost the economy of the state.