Accra, Dec. 8, GNA- Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, MP for Ho West, on Wednesday called on Parliament to support the efforts of Patricia Mawuli Nyekodzi, the 22 year old ROTAX Aircraft Engineer who had built an operational aircraft.

Speaking on the floor of the House on Wednesday in Accra, the National Democratic Congress MP said Ms Nyekodzi was the first lady in the world to obtain the highest Rotax Aircraft Engines Engineering Certificate and therefore must be celebrated.

Mr Bedzrah who was making a statement on the young female pilot and engineer, said Ghanaians were stunned on the November 1, 2010, when an aircraft build by this young lady was flown around the country without incident.

He said he was amazed by what he saw at the Kpong Airfield located 3km north of Akuse; an aircraft which was built by the approval of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

"I was amazed when I saw young Ghanaians girls being tutored in aircraft engineering, flight training airfield management etc", he said. He said by this feat, the country was poised to produce light fright for domestic and international sales adding that with Ghana being recently declared having attained middle income status, Ghana would be counted among the developed countries soon. According Mr Bedzrah, Patricia was assisted by Jonathan Porter, a British born Robotics Engineer to establish the Flying School and the Aircraft Engineering Centre. He said Patricia was recruited as a labourer about three years ago digging out stumps.

He said she later developed immense interest in working with the aircraft and the company decided to give her the chance to learn and fly, build and maintain aircrafts. He said the well established aircraft engineering workshops at Kpong had the capacity to build 2 and 4 -seat aircrafts for variety of uses such as flight training, domestic, personal flights, basic air-ambulances, Humanitarian Aviation Logistics, aerial survey and surveillance. He appealed to the government and private investors to support by investing in the activities of the young female engineer in order to train more people and create job opportunities for Ghanaians. He stated that Patricia's dream was to build an Aerobatic Aircraft that would compete internationally adding that she would succeed in her resolve when encouraged by all Ghanaians including Parliament. Mr Bedzrah said many Ghanaians had achieved many feats but were not recognized, an attitude he noted was defeating the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity among Ghanaians.

He called on the media to desist from giving more attention to negative issues adding, such attitude could nosedive the Better Ghana Agenda. The MP explained that Patricia's ingenuity came to light at the same time as that of Amina Mohammed mass rape issue but the later was trumpeted over and above the innovation and the achievement of the 22 year old young Ghanaian female pilot. 08 Dec 10