Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has ordered the immediate selection and sponsorship of indigent youths for degree programmes in high-value fields such as Piloting, Aeronautical Engineering and other related areas. The directive was given on Tuesday during a meeting at the Government House in Maiduguri when he hosted Mr Issac Balami, founder of Issac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, IBUAM.
Zulum explained that the new plan will focus on supporting young people who show academic promise but lack the financial ability to pursue these expensive aviation courses. He said the government is committed to helping the institution grow and helping qualified youths gain access to opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. He noted, “On our part, as the government of Borno State, we will do everything possible to support this university within our reach.”
The governor also appreciated the initiative introduced by Balami, saying, “I want to most sincerely thank you for the offers you have given to the government and people of Borno State for the training of a sizable number of aircraft planners and aircraft technicians.” He added that relevant officials had been invited to work closely with the institution to begin the selection process. According to him, “The Commissioner for Education and your team, you will identify the most vulnerable in the population who can benefit from this scheme: those who cannot afford, nor can their parents, to undertake those aeronautics courses. I don’t want anyone close to the governor, the deputy governor or the commissioner to be selected. Purely on merit! Mind you, I have to vet the list after the selection process.”
Earlier, Balami announced that IBUAM would offer free training for an initial batch of Borno indigenes in Aircraft Planning and Aircraft Technology. He explained that the gesture was his way of giving back, inspired by a scholarship he once received from the Borno State Government that shaped his career in aeronautics. He confirmed that one person from each of the 27 local governments in the state would be trained as aircraft planners and aircraft technicians.
