NASS refutes alleged relocation of Fire Fighting Simulator out of NCAT Zaria

The Joint House Committee on Aviation and Aviation Technology has described the alleged relocation of a  Simulator and Fire Fighting Simulators away from the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria as false and baseless.

Alhaji Suleiman Richifa, the Joint Committee Chairman made the disclosure on Monday in Zaria during a fact-finding visit to the college.

Richifa said the visit was sequel to a resolution reached at the investigative hearing of the joint committee on March 26.

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The investigative hearing was attended by the Minister of Aviation, the Rector of NCAT, and other Stakeholders on the purported planned relocation of the Simulator and Firefighting Equipment from NCAT to an unknown destination.

“At the hearing, it was unanimously resolved that a 7-man committee be constituted to undertake a fact-finding visit to NCAT.

“The visit was to ascertain the claims of both, the Hon. Minister of Aviation and the Rector of NCAT that the Simulator and Fire Fighting Machines are still within the precinct of NCAT, Zaria.

“We are here today primarily for this purpose,” he said.

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He added that the committee were not on a witch-hunting exercise but only in furtherance of our mandate, to ascertain the fact and report back to the joint committee.

“This assignment is serious and we need your cooperation and uprightness to ascertain the truth. Please treat it with all seriousness.

“This exercise, though a form of oversight, is purely a fact-finding mission, specifically for the simulator/fire fighting training equipment, is not the actual oversight of the committee.

“The committee will at the appropriate time undertake a holistic oversight visit of the college. For now, will limit our visit to the simulator/ fire fighting training equipment,” he said.

However, Richifa said, the committee was satisfied with what it saw at the college and commended the college over its state-of-the-art facilities.

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He also urges Nigerians to key into the transformation drive of the college to strengthen the aviation industry.

Earlier, Mr Joseph-Shaka Imaligwe, the Acting Rector, NCAT, commended the committee for the visit, adding that there were fabrications and lies over the movement of equipment from the college to an unknown location.

“There is nothing on ground like that, the committee can now testify that the equipment are on the ground, therefore, they can write a comprehensive and favourable report on the issue,” he advised. (NAN)