Culled from The Nation.
Federal
Government's amnesty programme is not an issue confined to the
Niger-Delta but rather a Nigeria project, Senate Deputy Leader Abdul
Ningi has said.
He told the Southern Africa correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria in Johannesburg that the programme was more than a pipe-dream project.
NAN reports that Ningi and members of the National Assembly's Committees on Niger-Delta were in Johannesburg to assess the training of former Niger-Delta militants as pilots.
The ex-militants were being trained at the Africa Union Aviation Academy in South Africa.
``The whole idea of amnesty started as a dream by two men, late President Umar Yar'Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan. But, today, it is now a reality.
``We, as members of the National Assembly, are impressed and proud of what these young Nigerians have been able to achieve in less than a year of their training here.
``I am very certain that from the perspective of aviation in Nigeria in the next few years, we don't need to go looking for non-Nigerians to manage our aviation industry,'' Ningi said.
He told NAN that members of the committee were impressed with the depth of technical knowledge displayed by the young Nigerian pilot trainees.
``I flew with two of the trainee pilots, one in Marfinkeng and the other in Midrand. The way they displayed technical communication with the people on ground and those in other aircraft is like they have been flying for 10 to 20 years,'' Ningi said.
He said there was the need to re-energize the Nigerian vision to attain greatness.
``There is need for us to re-energize our vision for the country. The morale of the country is low now, but with what we have seen since our coming here, I think the sky is the limit for young Nigerians if given the opportunity.
``Challenges are there, but I think Nigerians are ready to confront such challenges. Those of us at the position of leadership must give them what they need morally and financially to make sure their dreams are realized,'' NAN quoted the lawmaker as saying in Johannesburg.
He said members of the committee would return to South Africa in 2013 to re-assess the progress being made by the trainees.
He told the Southern Africa correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria in Johannesburg that the programme was more than a pipe-dream project.
NAN reports that Ningi and members of the National Assembly's Committees on Niger-Delta were in Johannesburg to assess the training of former Niger-Delta militants as pilots.
The ex-militants were being trained at the Africa Union Aviation Academy in South Africa.
``The whole idea of amnesty started as a dream by two men, late President Umar Yar'Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan. But, today, it is now a reality.
``We, as members of the National Assembly, are impressed and proud of what these young Nigerians have been able to achieve in less than a year of their training here.
``I am very certain that from the perspective of aviation in Nigeria in the next few years, we don't need to go looking for non-Nigerians to manage our aviation industry,'' Ningi said.
He told NAN that members of the committee were impressed with the depth of technical knowledge displayed by the young Nigerian pilot trainees.
``I flew with two of the trainee pilots, one in Marfinkeng and the other in Midrand. The way they displayed technical communication with the people on ground and those in other aircraft is like they have been flying for 10 to 20 years,'' Ningi said.
He said there was the need to re-energize the Nigerian vision to attain greatness.
``There is need for us to re-energize our vision for the country. The morale of the country is low now, but with what we have seen since our coming here, I think the sky is the limit for young Nigerians if given the opportunity.
``Challenges are there, but I think Nigerians are ready to confront such challenges. Those of us at the position of leadership must give them what they need morally and financially to make sure their dreams are realized,'' NAN quoted the lawmaker as saying in Johannesburg.
He said members of the committee would return to South Africa in 2013 to re-assess the progress being made by the trainees.
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