From: Sola Ojo, Kaduna

The Provost of Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT),  Kaduna, Prof. Emmanuel Ezugwu, on Thursday, said the Institute could only admit 277 out of over 10,000 applicants who applied for National and Higher National Diploma programmes based on available infrastructure on ground.

The Institute had admitted only a fraction of applicants who showed interest in Engineering courses in its 2016/2017 academic session many of whom meet admission requirements.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the matriculation ceremony held at Yisa Doko Hall, Air Force Base Kaduna, the varsity don was optimistic that if the AFIT Bill, which he claimed was at final stage in the National Assembly, is eventually passed into law and assented to, it would  afford the Institute the opportunity of getting funds directly from the Federal Government which would give room for more infrastructures to accommodate more Nigerians who want to develop career in engineering.

According to him, “We do not want to admit people we cannot take care of. We are admitting base on available infrastructures on ground for the purpose of qualitative studies. We don’t want to pack people like sand and overstretch the limited facilities the way other people do.

Related News

“Our priority now is that, we are looking up to federal government for infrastructural development of this great Institute which is second best in aviation  engineering after the Aviation College in Zaria.

“We are also greatly concerned about AFIT Bill before the NASS and getting it assented to by Mr. President. I think the Bill has been approved by the Senate while House of Assembly is working on its final stage which it will from there go to Mr. President for assent. In that case, we can now have direct funding by FG and not by Air Force as currently the case”, he stressed.

He further noted that, “There is an urgent need to link programs and activities to the development of priorities of Nigeria. Education curricula should be reviewed periodically to meet the demands of a knowledge economy”.

In a remark, Commandant of AFIT, Air Vice Mashal Isiaku Bukar, told guests and matriculating students that, the matriculation, was a proof that NAF was working and imbuing in young Nigerians the virtue of innovations and technology development of the country due to AFIT unique aeronautical engineering programmes.