By  Kenneth Ehigiator
Kwara State   governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the state’s Aviation Academy, expected to take off during the third quarter of the year, was on course.

(R-l): Chairman, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCo), Ambassador Patrick Dele-Cole and Company Secretary-General, Counsel of the Company, Mrs. Folashade Ode at NAHCo's recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) In Kaduna.

According to him, the foundation of the college had been laid, while orders have also been placed on equipment required for training in the school.

Saraki, who spoke in an interview at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, said the college would take off with 70 students in the first batch.

“We have just done the foundation, on May 29, and we hope that by next week, we will award the contract for the building of the school and the facilities.  We are still hoping that by the third quarter of this year, we should be able to bring in the first set of students to the college.

“We have already placed orders for some of the things we will use.  We are working on the third quarter for the first batch of students, about 70 of them,” the governor said.

Governor Saraki had said repeatedly that the state decided to build the school to compliment the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria which, in his view, had been unable to meet the manpower requirement of the nation’s aviation sector.

The college is meant to train pilots, aircraft engineers, air traffic controllers (ATCs) and other personnel needed in critical sections of the aviation industry.

On the federal government’s proposed plan to have states take over control of airports in their domain, Saraki said his government was yet to be approached by the central government.

He noted that the state government has in recent times, spent so much money to improve on the facilities at Ilorin International Airport, stressing that the state would be willing to take up the challenge should the federal government approach it.