‘Nigeria Needs More Airports’

‘Nigeria Needs More Airports’

Chinedu Eze

Former Rector of Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, Kaduna state, Angus Ozoka, has called for the development of more airports in Nigeria to augment for poor road and railway system.

He said since the other means of transportation in Nigeria, including land, rail and sea are seriously challenged; building more airports would not only fill the gap but also engender massive development of the country.

Ozoka, an Aeronautic and Aviation Systems Planning Engineer, made the call recently at Nneoma Secondary School, Otolo Nnewi, when he organised a one-day career development seminar for students of more than eight secondary schools in the area, on different career opportunities in the aviation industry.

Ozoka, who is an indigene of Nnewi, Anambra state, also called for speedy completion of Anambra state airport in order to harness the economic and investment benefits of an airport for rapid development of the state.

“Challenges in Nigeria’s aviation industry include the fact that we don’t have enough airports because the road system is not enough, we don’t have enough railway system. In Nigeria we don’t have enough seaports, so what you need is airports.

“You need an airport because airport generates businesses, it generates socio-economic activities and then all these children that are just starting now, if there is an airport and then an airline, already Air Peace is here and some other airlines; they will like to make airport in Awka their base and then there will be job at the airport there.
“So the airport in Anambra has to be developed and then everything goes. Airport development is public, private

partnership. So let the government mobilize the people of Anambra in order to complete the Anambra airport so that our children can get jobs, so that there will be businesses, so that there will be so many things.”

On what inspired him to embark on the selfless project of organising career seminar for secondary students in his state, the former Rector NCAT said he owes it a duty to the society, particularly his immediate society Anambra state, as a senior citizen, to educate the children to help them to know what career path to follow and to motivate them “because this is both career advisory and mentorship.”

He said that there are many career opportunities in the aviation industry aside pilots, aeronautic engineers and air crew members; such as flight attendants, crew scheduler/planner, customer service agents, air traffic controllers, language experts, aviation fuel marketers, and aircraft load planners, among others.

In a remark, the Principal of Nneoma Secondary School, owned by St. Thomas Anglican Church Otolo, Nnewi, Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageri Ufondu, expressed gratitude for the lecture, noting that it has created an avenue for the youths of Anambra state to be inspired to develop interest in the various career opportunities in aviation industry.

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