Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has deployed four cadet pilot trainees for type-rating training at the SIM Aerotraining Ltd in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the implementation of the vocational objectives of the programme.
PAP said the exercise is in pursuit of the PAP objectives to ensure that delegates and beneficiaries acquire the requisite skills for gainful employment in the aviation sector.
The Amnesty programme said this is a continuation of the PAP’s deployment of its delegates and beneficiaries to aviation training institutions locally and around the world to enable them to become useful to themselves and society.
According to PAP, in September and November 2023, the PAP Office sent 40 trainees (20 in each month) for aircraft maintenance engineering at Leadstream Aviation Training, Lagos, who finished their programme and are currently undergoing on-the-job training.
The PAP Office had also in November 2023 deployed two batches of six cadet pilot trainees each to SIM Aerotraining Ltd and ALT Academy, also in Johannesburg.
In January this year, the PAP Office also sent eight cadet pilot trainees for type-rating training at SIM Aerotraining Ltd on ERJ-145 and another six to ALT Academy on Boeing 737 aeroplane, while two trainees were also sent for helicopter instrument-rating and type-rating training, respectively, at Henley Airfreight Training Ltd, also in Johannesburg.
Speaking at the pre-departure briefing in Lagos for the four cadet pilot trainees, the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro noted that vocational training was a key component of the programme in the planned development of the Niger Delta manpower base.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the PAP Administrator, Mr Igoniko Oduma, quoted Otuaro to have noted that the deployment was in continuation of the significant feat achieved by the Presidential Amnesty Office in the aviation training of its delegates and beneficiaries.
Represented by Lambert Daunemighan, PAP’s Head of the Vocational Training Unit, Otuaro thanked President Bola Tinubu for his strong support of the programme to achieve human capital development, peace and security in the region.
He said, “The enlisting of these four cadet pilots for training, also highlights our passion and commitment to the implementation of the mandate of the PAP in the area of human capital development for our teeming youths in the Niger Delta.
“The Office has received the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu, who has demonstrated the desire to ensure the peace, security and development of the Niger Delta. This event is a product of Mr President’s commitment to peace and development in the Niger Delta.
“We will continue to thank Mr President for his favourable disposition towards achieving the noble objectives for establishing the Programme.”
Congratulating the trainees on their deployment, the PAP boss urged them to take their training seriously, shun all forms of distractions and social vices and “be good ambassadors of Nigeria, the Presidential Amnesty Programme and the Niger Delta as well as your communities while in South Africa.”
He further said, “The aviation sector is a huge industry. You now have the rare opportunity to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge that will prepare you to begin a career in the aviation industry. Grab it with both hands and make yourself worthy ambassadors of this programme.”
The trainees expressed gratitude to the Administrator and the Federal Government for the opportunity, saying they would take their training seriously and conduct well.