Speaking while commissioning the new Hajj terminal at the Kaduna Airport, the Sultan said that the 4.5 million dollars paid by Nigerian Moslems was in spite of the government subsidy for hajj fares.
According to him, “the 2011 hajj exercise, those Moslems that went for the hajj paid a whopping $4.5 million to aviation agencies as fees. We are also contributing our quota to the development of the aviation sector because we pay dues.
“This amount is as a result of the percentage the government reduced. Instead of paying the whole amount, we had subsidy and yet, we still paid $4.5 million. So, the Muslim community too is contributing to the development of aviation agencies”.
The Sultan who commended the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah for successfully fighting the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Britain however told the minister to tighten her belt as more problems are likely to come her way in the near future.
He told the minister that “we have seen how you started; not just by renovating this building, but we have seen some hard issues that you have tackled, especially the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between our country and other countries across the world.
“We must place it on record that Nigeria is Nigeria and any Nigerian servant must place Nigeria first before any other thing. We have seen that you have placed Nigeria first before any other thing and have taken up Nigerian issues and put them on the front burner.
“We want to commend you for courage and urge you to tighten your belt the more because we believe that more and more will be coming your way. More problems will come up and by the grace of Almighty God whom I believe that you believe in, He will see you through.
“We are proud of your achievement and we want to thank you for renovating this building and like Oliver Twist, we urge you to do the same in the other 11 hajj terminal across the country. That may not be at a go because we know that you have constraints and you have priorities.
“For you to single-handedly pick this one out, a hajj terminal of all places shows that you are a true Nigerian who believe in equity. Being a Christian, you felt that it was your duty to give your best to all sectors of the society. The Muslim community in Nigeria is very pleased with this development. We have done our part.”
Speaking with newsmen after the commissioning, the minister said the ministry has a planned programme for the rehabilitation and renovation of facilities in the nation’s airport, pointing out that Nigerians deserve the best facilities whenever they are travelling.
The minister who was however silent on the cost of renovating the hajj terminal at the Kaduna Airport said that other hajj terminals across the country will also be renovated as well as all facilities in the nation’s airports.
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