From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government has disclosed plans to train at least 23 indigenous pilots, one from each of the 23 local government areas of the state, as part of measures to ensure sustainability of its newly floated Caliphate Airline.
The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Dr. Bashir Muhammad Achida, disclosed this on Tuesday in Sokoto while addressing newsmen on the floating of the airline by the APC-led administration of Gov. Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto.
Dr. Achida said government is seriously working on building the capacity of indigenes, with each local government nominating one or two candidates for pilot training, but government expects to have at least one pilot per local government at the start.
According to him, it will be enormous for a state like Sokoto to have at least 23 indigenous pilots apart from the existing ones, to man the airline.
He said the training will be both local and international, depending on the needs and qualifications of the candidates, as some may already have Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and only need Commercial Pilot Licence, while others do not have any form of licensing.
He said what is important is that even when trained outside the country, the pilots will have to domesticate their licences and learn to fly in the Nigerian environment, adding that institutions like the Azman aviation training base which trains Nigerians and people from across Africa provide good opportunities for local training.
Dr. Achida described the floating of Caliphate Airline as one of the most important milestones taken by this government to enhance the revenue base of the state and make it more productive in terms of economic development.
He said, “His Excellency, in his wisdom, has come out with this innovation to have a carrier for the state,” noting that while other states in the South like Akwa Ibom have Ibom Air, starting with about five aeroplanes as Sokoto has done is unprecedented by a sub-national government in Nigeria.
He said the quality of the aircraft and the due processes followed are the best, and the airline will open up Sokoto to the world and provide relief to travelers who face difficulties traveling from Sokoto to other places and from other places to Sokoto, given the importance of the state as the Seat of the Caliphate.
The Commissioner said the airline, which will begin operations with three Embraer ERJ-145LR aircraft and two Embraer 190-100 series aircraft, with initial operations centred around Sokoto, Abuja and Kano, will generate a lot of revenue, create employment and open Sokoto for business.
He said the name of Sokoto and the Caliphate will rise high in the country and continent, with a lot of learning and training for aircraft engineers, pilots and airline management professionals.
He said this is a very good initiative which all well-meaning individuals of the state should rally behind and thank Gov. Ahmed Aliyu for, noting that this is how other countries started in Africa.
He said Nigeria today does not have a national commercial airline, but Sokoto as a small state already has five aircraft, citing Ethiopia where the aviation sector drives the economy.
He expressed optimism that Insha Allah, in the next ten years Sokoto will be global, not only having a domestic airline but also international fleets, and will lead the way in aviation-driven economic growth.
Our Correspondent in Sokoto reports that the airline, incorporated as a limited liability company to provide domestic passenger and cargo services, has secured its Air Transport Licence (ATL) and is awaiting its Airline Operator Certificate (AOC).
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