The first batch of Christian pilgrims of the 2011 journey to Israel have been airlifted from the Akwa Ibom International Airport, even as the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has rated the Airport as the best in the country in terms of standard facilities.
The pilgrims numbering over 350 are from Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu states.
Pastor Oritsejafor who was at the airport in Uyo last weekend to flag off the airlifting of this year’s pilgrims to the Holy land said he would recommend to Federal Government to make the airport a major take-off point for Christian pilgrimage in the country.
He acknowledged that the airport boasts of adequate lighting equipment on the runway, longest runway and automatic shooting scaring machine against birds and stray animals rated as the first to be installed in Africa.
The CAN President described pilgrimage as an important Christian exercise for the pilgrims to touch and feel what is written the Bible about the missionary journey of Jesus Christ, enjoining the pilgrims to perish the thought of defecting while in the Holy land.
Oritsejafor who lauded Akwa Ibom State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board for assigning two medical doctors to 50 pilgrims unlike one doctor to 50 pilgrims in other states called on the pilgrims to go and fulfill their religious obligations.
Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio charged the first batch of Christian pilgrims of the 2011 journey to Israel to be good ambassadors of the state of Nigeria
Governor Akpabio maintained that his sponsorship of one thousand five hundred pilgrims from the state underscores the importance of the spirited exercise as this could assist tremendously in the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.
Chief Akpabio advised them to pray for peace, growth and progress of Nigeria while in the Holy land so that the purpose of the exercise could be realised.
He thanked the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission for choosing Akwa Ibom International Airport for the airlift of pilgrims in the zone.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John Opara Kennedy, thanked Governor Godswill Akpabio for his exemplary leadership qualities and prayed God to strengthen him to contribute more to the development of his fatherland.
The Chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Professor Vincent Nyoyoko expressed appreciation to Governor Godswill Akpabio for providing the funds to facilitate the pilgrims’ journey to Israel.