By Funmilayo Adeye
The Acting Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr Matthew Pwajok, has said that the establishment of an Aviation University will go a long way in addressing managerial failures in the aviation sector.
Pwajok, who disclosed this in Abuja when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum, said that lack of managerial capacity was responsible for the failures of airlines.
He said that the aviation college only focuses on the professional training of air traffic controllers, but the aviation university would provide knowledge in other areas in the sector.
According to him, the aviation university is a welcome development and it is in line with the aviation road map which the minister of aviation is passionate about.
“ The causes of failure of airlines are as a result of lack of managerial capacity and that is what the university will mitigate.
“ In aviation, we focus on our professional training. As an air traffic controller, I go to the aviation college, Zaria for two years and the focus is purely on nothing except air traffic control.
“ So I don’t get to understand how you manage finances, how you manage human beings, how you manage equipment as that is not exactly my training.
“ As a pilot, you go for flying, you learn how to fly the equipment but the university will now be a four-year programme that will inculcate other courses from other disciplines.
“ And that broadens your mind, your understanding, perspective and that way you will be able to manage a lot more than simply just managing your aircraft or managing your air traffic control,’’ he said.
Pwajok added that the University of Aviation is an added advantage to the sector as it would go a very long way in enhancing the managerial capacity in the industry and other aspects of aviation.
He said that financial managers and those that would handle the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) needed to be trained in the university to enhance the sector.(NAN)