PAP: Jubilations As Final Batch Of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Complete Mandatory Training

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

Celebrations in Niger Delta as the last batch of 20 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers have graduated from their training programme at a colourful ceremony held at the Leadstream Aviation Academy, Lagos.

It would be recalled that the 20 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers were part of the 75 lot comprising 35 cadet pilots and 40 Aircraft maintenance Engineers under the Presidential Amnesty Programme Aviation Resuscitation Programme.

Congress gathered that all the 40 engineers shortlisted have completed their programmes and would be type rated on select aircraft engine types. “Their on-the-Job (OJT) programme will run for 12 months of which their living expenses for the OJT period has been fully covered in advance by the PAP”.

While speaking at the event in Lagos, the Interim Administrator of the PAP, General Barry Ndiomu (rtd) reminded the graduating engineers of the need to stay focused and strive for excellence always.

Gen Barry who was represented by the Head of Reintegration Department, Wilfred Musa, called on relevant agencies of government to support the efforts of the PAP in developing manpower for strategic industries both locally and internationally.

He said, “I call on the Ministry of Aviation & Aerospace Management as well as its appendage agencies to support and collaborate with the PAP on its aggressive talent development drive”.

The graduating delegates, some of whom spoke after the ceremony, were elated and profoundly grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Interim Administrator, PAP; General Ndiomu, for their goodwill and steadfast leadership that had continued to promote the quality of human lives in the Niger Delta.

In other related matters, Mr. Wilfred informed the audience that six cadet pilots out of the 12 deployed in October 2023 to various Aviation Training Organizations in Johannesburg, South Africa would return to Nigeria this week having successfully completed their type rating training programme.