Ghana’s aviation chief blames high fares on foreign aircraft maintenance \
Founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola, and the Chief Executive Officer of the United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, have said that solutions to most of the challenges facing the country lie in the nation’s academic institutions.

They lamented the disconnect between political leaders of the country and institutions of higher learning, noting that countries like China, Russia, USA were recording achievements because they were supported by institutions of learning.

They spoke at the weekend in Ado Ekiti during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Afe Babalola University and United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited, for ABUAD students to undergo a training programme in Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering.

In his remarks before the signing of the MoU, Obiora urged political leaders to tap into the knowledge of the academic institutions to solve problems and challenges facing the country.

He said, “Let them pick any national issue. Whether it is a legislative matter, legal matter, they can bring it to the legal department of the university. Let the intellectuals crack it and give the government a recommendation. If it’s about economic issues, you have your economic department. Bring it to them. Let those professionals crack it.”

In his remarks, Babalola reiterated his earlier position that the solution to Nigeria’s problem was education, urging the government to take it seriously.

He recalled that education made him a self-made man who, despite a poor background, exceeded all limitations and became a global icon.

The legal luminary praised Prof. Okonkwo for his deep thoughts and profound intellect, and directed the management of ABUAD to make him a guest lecturer at the university’s next convocation.

In her welcome address, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, said that ABUAD’s philosophy had always been that education must be functional, experiential, transformative, and impactful.

She said: “Under the terms of this Memorandum of Understanding, about twenty 400-level students of our College of Engineering will be enrolled annually under the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at United Nigeria Airlines. These students will undergo a robust, hands-on, and industry-driven training programme in Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering.”

MEANWHILE, high airfare in most countries, especially within the West and Central African region, has been blamed on the high cost of maintenance of aircraft outside the region.

This was the view of the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Stephen Arthur, after a tour of the Aero Contractors Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) over the weekend at the General Aviation Terminal, Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Arthur explained that ferrying aircraft to Europe, the Middle East or the United States (U.S) for maintenance significantly increased airline operating costs, which were ultimately passed on to passengers.

Arthur noted that the absence of major Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities within the West African sub-region compelled airlines to look offshore, thereby increasing operational expenses and final ticket costs.

The GCAA boss described the Aero Contractors’ maintenance facility as a major asset to West and Central Africa, adding that regional airlines and aviation authorities should encourage its patronage to drive down operating costs and promote sustainable growth in the aviation sector.

In his opening remarks, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, said the airline was established in 1959 in the oil and gas sector as a rotary wing operator and later progressed into schedule flight services and aircraft maintenance.