The Federal Government’s decision to fully implement the ‘Oronsaye Panel’ report on public sector reform has been received with mixed feelings.
Chidi Omeje of Security Digest appealed to President Bola Tinubu to review the decision to merge Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
In a press statement on Tuesday, Omeje applauded the Tinubu-led Federal Government for its courage in deciding to implement the audacious report.
He said, “Be that as it may, it’s important that a closer look be taken at some of the identified pitfalls of the panel recommendations before we take a dive into their full implementation.
“Apart from the legal and constitutional hurdles that may require amendments to the enabling acts and laws to scale through, there are some of the recommendations in that report that, when or if implemented, will be irredeemably counterproductive.
“Take the popular Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, which was recommended by the panel to be subsumed by the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for instance. According to the panel report, AFIT is to become a faculty in NDA! The report, in like manner, recommended that Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB), Borno State, should also become a faculty in NDA. This is not tenable.
“Established in 1977 in response to the growing need to keep pace with technological development through an increase in manpower capacity building, AFIT is a military institution approved by the National Universities Commission to run undergraduate and postgraduate courses. AFIT supports the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and civilian communities by providing basic training on aeronautics, aerospace engineering, mechatronics engineering, and avionics.
“The institute was also affiliated with Cranfield University, United Kingdom, for post-graduate studies in aerospace, vehicle design, and related fields, and it later became evident and necessary to effect a change in the nomenclature to reflect the expanded role of the institute.
“Known as NAF Technical and Supply School (TSS) at inception, the institution was renamed Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) on 12 March 2008 and granted university/polytechnic status in 2017. Currently, AFIT comprises 5 faculties, each consisting of various departments. The faculties include Air Engineering, Computing, Ground and Communication Engineering, Social and Management Sciences and Faculty of Sciences. There is also a School of Postgraduate Studies (SPS). All the basic course curricula are structured to meet the minimum requirements for MSc in the aerospace sector. The institute has so far graduated over 5,689 persons, including personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and NAF as well as civilians. This number includes foreign students from the Republic of Benin, Zimbabwe, Niger, Ghana and Sierra Leone,” he added.
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