Lack of awareness, inadequate funding challenges facing AATO progress – Keyamo

By Albert Akota

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN has acknowledged that challenges such as inadequate funding, low membership, lack of awareness, and fragile institutional framework are problems facing AATO.

Keyamo who stated this in the 29th AATO council meeting symposium and the 10th-anniversary celebration in Abuja with the theme ‘Advancing African Aviation Training Excellence.’urged them to prioritise safety and success in flight as well as industry’s reliance on teamwork.

According to him, “The growth of the industry will be influenced by the pace at which African organisations can develop and retain adequate and skilled human resources in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) provisions, plans, programmes and required performance specified in ICAO SARPS”.

The minister, who was presented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Meribole said the need for comprehensive planning, coordination, management, operation and oversight of various aviation infrastructure complexities, as well as importance in the aviation sector in supporting economic and social development,

According to him, “The growth of the industry will be influenced by the pace at which African organisations can develop and retain adequate and skilled human resources in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) provisions, plans, programmes and required performance specified in ICAO SARPS”.

“AATO plans is to implement measures to train adequate personnel to work in the industry and guarantee a sustainable aviation industry in Africa,” he added.

In his remarks, the technical coordinator of AATO West Africa, Dr. Yakubu Ibrahim said that AATO aims to harmonize curricula and syllabi across African countries, streamlining certification processes.

He urged stakeholders to collaborate in overcoming aviation challenges and pooling resources for Africa’s progress.

Speaking earlier, the president of AATO, Ms. Tendani Ndou provided additional insights into the organisation’s mission, saying that its establishment is to harmonise and standardise individual training in Africa. She highlighted the strategic importance of AATO in supporting economic and social development while ensuring the safety of citizens.

“AATO envisions bringing together aviation training organizations in all 54 states in Africa. Audits and assessments conducted by ICAO and other industry organisations have revealed a shortage of qualified personnel in crucial areas of civil aviation throughout Africa, which has the potential to negatively impact safety and security in the long term,” she said.

Addressing financial challenges, Ndou expressed confidence that AATO could achieve its global goals with financial support from stakeholders.

The regional director of ICAO Eastern and Southern Africa, Ms. Lucy Mbugu stressed the importance of strategic partnerships and collaboration with regional and international institutions, development partners, and industry leaders.

She encouraged participants to embrace innovation and digital learning platforms to bridge the technology gap and offer state-of-the-art training programmes aligned with global standards.