By Joyce Rem- Babayeju
The Israeli Tourism Minister, Yoel Razvozov has disclosed that regular direct flights between Nigeria and Israel will soon commence.
Razvozov revealed this recently in Jerusalem at a meeting with the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Yakubu Pam during his recent visit to Israel.
The Tourism Minister explained that the initial plan was to operate only charter flights between both countries, but the major focus now is to operationalize regular direct flights between the two countries.
The meeting which centred on mutually beneficial relationship between both countries which was hinged on how to operate regular flights by a Nigerian airline.
The Minister affirmed that Nigeria’s current population of 206 million stands the country at advantage position as the most populous black nation on the African continent, adding that Christians constitute about 50 percent of the population of Nigeria, hence the country has a reasonable number of intending pilgrims.
Mr Razvozor posited that the direct regular flights by a Nigerian airline to Israel would certainly galvanize intending pilgrims from Nigeria to fly often to the Holy Sites in Israel and even boost their financial strength.
However, he was not sure whether the regular direct flights would operate from Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital or from Abuja the official capital of Nigeria.
He assured the NCPC boss that this would be sorted out as events unfolds.
Meanwhile the Israeli Tourism Minister has commended the bold efforts of the NCPC boss at repositioning the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Israel through Pilgrimage.
He noted that the NCPC boss would be making history when the regular direct flight between Nigeria and Israel kicks off; being the current Executive Secretary of NCPC who played key role in its actualization.
