Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has commended the management of Caverton Helicopters on its new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul and Flight Simulator facilities which will soon commence the training of pilots in Nigeria and across the globe.
Sirika who conducted a tour of the aviation company at the tracon site of Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja on Thursday said the facility would boost the Gross Domestic Product of the country, according to a statement titled ‘Minister of Aviation, Siriki Hadi, commends Caverton MRO and Flight Simulator Initiatives’.
Sirika was quoted to have said, “By what I have seen, it looked like yesterday when they began to put in place everything that would be needed for the type of operations they do.
“And our primary purpose in government is to provide full support to entrepreneurs for them to provide the needed service and employ our people. And this is what exactly is happening here.
“I am very impressed and more than willing to support Caverton Helicopters and other entrepreneurs in the aviation industry. And as said in my earlier remarks that we are reorienting the Nigerian civil aviation industry to shift focus from being the police of the industry to becoming enablers of businesses.
Responding, Chairman, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Dr Aderemi Makanjuola, thanked the minister for honouring his company’s invitation.
He said, “He has been part of it from the beginning in terms of advice and all that that we need to do to get it right. We are proud today that he is here to support us.”
Speaking on the level of completion and how soon its operation would take off, Chief Executive Officer, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr Bode Makanjuola, said the facility was about 70 per cent complete.
He said, “We envisage that it would be ready by the first quarter of 2021.
“Our simulator which would go into the training is already on ground as it has arrived the country.
“The simulator is for the training of pilots. Apart from ensuring employment for Nigerians, we are looking at other things in terms of capacity development and capital flight.”
