Pilgrimage: Minister promises to support NCPC

The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, has promised to support the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), to enable it to achieve its statutory objectives.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by Mr. Celestine Ogugua, Head Media, NCPC, Sirika made the promise during a courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary of NCPC, Revd. Tor Uja.

The minister of state promised to do everything necessary to facilitate and improve airlift of pilgrims from Nigeria to Israel.

I will work with NCPC to enable it achieve its objectives’’, he stressed.

He said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was working towards improving the aviation industry in Nigeria to make it locally relevant and globally more competitive.

He added that the Federal Government would encourage investors in the airline industry and develop the sector to make it more attractive.

Sirika said everything that would help to encourage religion would be done, especially since Nigeria was a multi-religious society.

Uja, according to the statement, appreciated the minister for the cooperation he had demonstrated to the commission in the course of airlifting pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Uja, however, requested the minister to waive some of the charges associated with the airlifting of pilgrims by some aviation agencies, saying this would help to reduce the cost of pilgrimage.

It named the agencies as the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.