Yemisi Izuora
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has inaugurated 28-member Air Carriers Screening Committee for the 2018 Hajj operation, in preparations for the upcoming hajj.
The committee is headed by the Commissioner of Operation, NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Modibbo.
Other members of the committee were selected from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
The members were also drawn from the Nigerian Accident Investigation Bureau, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Customs Service among others.
Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo, the Acting Chairman of NAHCON, while inaugurating the committee advised them to handle the assignment diligently and with the fear of Allah.
Adebayo, who is also the Commissioner of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance, also urged the members of the screening committee to adhere strictly to the terms of reference given to them.
He stressed the need for the committee to select qualified and competent air carriers with viable capacity that would effectively transport Nigerian pilgrims to and from the Holy Land.
Adebayo said that effective transportation of intending pilgrims to the holy land was a pre-requisite for conducting successful Hajj operation.
Responding, Modibbo pledged determination of the committee to work assiduously toward achieving the task assigned to them to justify the confidence reposed on them.
The commissioner also promised that the committee would ensure justice and fairness to all the airlines that applied to provide service in order to make sure that the best got the job.
The Chief Executive Officer, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, urged the committee to give priority to indigenous airlines over their foreign counterparts in order to create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
Bankole commended NAHCON for ensuring transparency and accountability in handling screening and selection of air carriers since inception of the commission in 2006.
The airlines that applied for the job include: Med-View Airline, Flynas (Saudi designated airline) Cargozeal Travel ltd, Azman airline, Sky Prime airline, Top Brass airline, Med-View International Travel and Cargo ltd and Dynasty air cargo.