The management of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, is proposing to sign a bond with its technical staff to prevent poaching by sister agencies and airlines in the Nigerian aviation industry and beyond.
The Rector of the aviation school, Dr Danjuma Ismaila, revealed this over the weekend in Zaria during an interaction with aviation journalists.
The academics who expressed worries over the incessant poaching of the college’s technical staff by sister agencies and airlines lamented that the college was seriously constrained at the time of speaking with journalists.
He also added that the school management was also at the verge of proposing to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority on how the certificates granted to its technical personnel could only be used for NCAT training purposes and not somewhere else.
Ismaila stressed that the college was spending a huge amount of money on its personnel but regretted that they abandoned the job for greener pastures after getting the required licences through the college.
He stressed that poor wages for its staff made it easier for other organisations to attract them.
He said, “Most of our trained staff left for greener pastures. Some of them went to private airlines. What we are planning to do is come out with a policy to develop our internal capacity. We are going to sign a bond. We are going to sit down with the NCAA to ensure that certificates granted to them can only be used for NCAT training purposes and not to give you a certificate and you go and work somewhere else.
“You have to stay here and work for us. We can’t spend money and go elsewhere. These are some of the strategies we are going to use. Another approach we are going to use is that we have approached the Salaries and Wages Commission. Even yesterday, I talked to the people that the college needs to be given special considerations in terms of salary package so as to close the gaps with the industry.”
The rector emphasised that the paucity of funds was limiting the growth and activities of the college.
He lamented that this had stopped the college from putting its facilities to maximum use, especially its flight simulator purchased about five years ago.
He added: “First, they are talking about a licence or certificate by the NCAA, and I was able to meet the NCAA. I told them our predicament that the college has invested in this and that, in manpower development and training of our personnel and their personnel, and we were able to achieve a lot.
“Hopefully, in a month or two from now, our simulator will be put to use. The NCAA has the capacity to certify the simulator. We have trained some of their personnel. If they don’t have the capacity, they are at liberty to collaborate with their sister agencies. That is the essence of collaboration and partnership, where you have a weakness and your partner assists you. Right now, we are not concerned about who is coming, whether them or their partners.”
