Oversight: Reps laud NiMET, AIB’s budget performances
By Seun Ibiyemi
House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has applauded two aviation agencies, Accidents Investigation Bureau, (AIB) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) for their 2021 budget performances.
The committee gave the commendation during an oversight inspection visit to the agencies’ offices and their projects’ sites at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja during the week.
The oversight team led by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Honourable Musa Pali was conducted round the various projects captured in the 2021 budget.
At the office of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB) the Director of Engineering, Engineer Mohammed Wali who represented the Commissioner, Engineer Akin Olateru who was said to be on official assignment outside the country told the committee that the agency was repositioning for the additional responsibilities that would result from the amendment Bill waiting for passage at the National Assembly.
He also took the members round the N645 million training school which was almost 95 percent completed and other projects like the additional office block and the wreckage hangar as well as the Flight Safety Laboratory which was being relocated to the training school complex following the rail line that was constructed through the initial location.
The training centre which Engineer Wali described as regional training organization has accommodation facility for thirty students to take care of students from other African countries.
The NIMET Director-General, Professor Bako Matazu equally took the team through the various projects and achievements of the agency for the year.
He told the visiting legislators that NIMET has been designated regional centre of excellence by the World Meteorological Organization, (WMO) and that the agency provides capacity building for other African Countries.
He however appealed to the committee to assist NIMET to expand its revenue base stressing that currently the agency’s internally generated revenue, (IGR) comes majorly from aviation despite the fact that almost every sector makes use of NIMET predictions.
