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Nigerian College of Aviation Technology has no training helicopter after selling 2 choppers to private individuals
The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, has no single helicopter for training, the Acting Rector of the institution, Shaka Imalighwe, has disclosed.
He made the disclosure during an investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives to probe the sale of two helicopters belonging to the College.
Imalighwe told the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets hat he took over the management of the College in an acting capacity in January 2024.
He said that he was not part of the team/committee that facilitated the sales, even though he was the Deputy Rector of the College at the time the helicopters were sold.
Ademorin Kuye, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee, expressed concern over the sale of the two helicopters to private individuals, when the College was left with no helicopter for training.
The committee also questioned the process leading to the sale of the helicopters to private individuals even when security agencies, including the Nigerian Air Force, the Navy and the Police, indicated interest in purchasing them.
The three security agencies, according to various submissions, did not only indicate interest to purchase the helicopters through writing, but also visited the College.
However, the management of the College denied them the opportunity to purchase the helicopters.
Following the hearing, the committee directed the immediate past and current minister of Aviation to appear before during the next investigative sitting.
Others summoned to appear before the committee are representatives of the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Finance Incorporated, MOFI, and the immediate past and present rectors of the College, among others. [Premium Times]
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Reps Quiz Federal Polytechnics Damaturu, Mubi, Monguno Over Infractions
By Gloria Ikibah
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Obasanjo narrates how he escaped becoming drug addict
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he almost became a drug addict.
He spoke in Abeokuta over the weekend at the second edition of ‘Fly Above The High’ anti-drug campaign conference organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network.
Obasanjo stated that smoking during his youthful age led to chronic coughing and almost became an addiction.
The former President, while lamenting the increase in drug abuse among Nigerians and other West Africans, urged Nigerian students and young people to refrain from abusing psychoactive drugs, saying that they ruin life rather than enhance it.
“If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out.
“There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction.
“We found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa,” Obasanjo said.
He cautioned against stigmatization and urged individuals who are already addicted to psychoactive drugs to get help.
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We saved $20bn after Petrol Subsidy Removal and FX Rate Reforms, Says Finance Minister
Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from petrol subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.
Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.
“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on PMS; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.
“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”
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