£11.5m FIRE FIGHTING SIMULATOR RUMPUS: Legislators urged to avoid motion that may turn out to be full “of sound and fury”…
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The Boeing 737NG aircraft firefighting simulator, installed at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo, a senior member of the Nigerian bar, has with utmost reverence to the hallowed green chambers advised that the debate on the purported plan to relocate the Boeing Aircraft Fire-fighting Simulator at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Kaduna State, to Lagos, may ultimately not worth the very precious time of honourable members in the highly revered House of Representatives.
The caveat laced in the media statement by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, was a reaction to the “video footage making the rounds about a motion moved on the floor of the House of Representatives by an Honourable member” restraining the minister from relocating the simulator.
The media statement urged honourable parliamentarians to cease discussing and making reference to an “unsubstantiated plan by the Ministry to relocate a Boeing fire simulator”.
Aviation and Aerospace ministry rightly acknowledged the patriotism of members of the House for entertaining the Motion, but on the substance of the issue for debate, the ministry was of the view that “it was totally unnecessary.”
According to the ministry, the entire issue which was a figment of the imagination of the instigators, it described thus, “The rumour is nothing but pure mischief by agents of destabilization and is totally untrue.”
Proffering the rationale for the ministry’s angst on the motion, the statement explained further, “We think it was totally unnecessary since the Speaker already had a private audience with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development a few days ago when this issue came up and the Minister assured Mr Speaker that there was NO IOTA of truth in the rumour”.
Further making explicit what transpired among the honourable gentlemen – Minister of Aviation, and the Speaker – the statement said, “The Minister further put a call to the Rector of the school who re-assured Mr. Speaker that it was an unfounded rumour and purely a mischief”.
However, a million-dollar rhetorical question was posed to the Speaker and members of the hallowed green chamber by the ministry, “So, why the motion?”
[No doubt, members of the fourth estate of the realm would gladly want to know and in turn, inform the general public]
Hence, the ministry appealed to the good people of Nigeria, especially the aviation stakeholders at home and in the diaspora thus, “We urge the public to disregard any such rumour and it amounts to grandstanding by anyone still trying to make political gains out of nothing”, the statement averred.
BOEING 737NG AIRCRAFT AND FIREFIGHTING SIMULATOR
The Boeing 737NG aircraft firefighting simulator was acquired by the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Aviation in April 2019, for 11.5 million British Pounds Sterling.
The firefighting simulator was manufactured by Messrs. Alpine Metal Technology Company, USA.
The simulator is the first of its kind in Africa. It is a modern multi-scenario firefighting equipment.
The equipment is capable of delivering training on 28 different types of fire and non-fire operations involving the aircraft.
A visit to where it was installed in the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, Kaduna State, reveals the premium those in authority place on investments made with taxpayers’ money.
ABRIDGED PROFILE: SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Hon. Tajudeen Abbas is the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Tajudeen Abbas was born 1st October 1963, in Zaria.
Hon. Abbas is frequently described by party chieftains as the anointed candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
He represents the Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.
For his tertiary education, he attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, for his postgraduate study
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