SLCAA Signs MOU with NCAT

In a latest development the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA) on Tuesday 5th January 2019 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).
At the signing of the MOU, the Director General of SLCAA, Moses Bawoh described the event as the beginning of a beginning, as they are hopeful that more could be benefited by Sierra Leoneans out of this agreement.
NCAT is an approved training organization which is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that is certified to conduct Aviation courses leading to licenses and Aviation Diploma courses accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in Nigeria.
DG Bawoh stated that they are desirous to collaborate with NCAT for the training of students and other personnel in Aviation related courses both in Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
NCAT is responsible to conduct technical and non-technical aviation courses available in the Nigerian Aviation Technology; issue certificates and facilitates the issuance of accredited certificates to students under the Sierra Leone Government sponsorship upon their successful completion of the relevant Aviation courses; provide medical and Aircraft Accident Insurance for the said students during their training; provide feeding and accommodation for the duration of the training period for the students; provide off-site training for selected short-duration courses in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The government of Sierra Leone will provide in advance, agreed payment for the training, feeding, accommodation and miscellaneous needs of the sponsored students; provide payment in advance for the relevant permits required for entry and stay in Nigeria of students under their sponsorship at NCAT.
Bawoh maintained that there is lack of technical and skilled personnel to perform the activities of the Civil Aviation Authority as Civil Aviation professionals are very hard to get.
There is the need to train Sierra Leoneans with the relevant skills and knowledge to enable them acquire the international standard of Civil Aviation Authority, he added.
According to the Rector of NCAT, Abdulsalami Mohammed, their focus has been Nigeria and now they are going beyond to other countries.
Sierra Leone is the first country they have signed an MOU with and this will open opportunities for Sierra Leone because once the word is out that they have signed an MOU with Sierra Leone, Arab countries will be looking at the opportunity of signing the same with Sierra Leone, he stated.