By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC, Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam, has disclosed that the Commission is targeting about 10,000 pilgrims for the 2022 Pilgrimage exercise to Israel, Jordan and Greece scheduled for February, 2022.
Pam said Israel would be opened for pilgrimage in January 2022, while the commission is preparing for February to travel to the holy land.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission gave this information in Lagos during an interactive session with the media, adding that the Commission had already raised about 3000 of that expected figures from the states.
This was contained in a press release signed by Celestine Toruka Head Media and Public Relations made available to Daybreak today.
According to the release , NCPC boss decried that the pilgrims spirit is dying in the South East where there is predominantly Christians scored the least on sponsorship of Christian pilgrims, followed by South West zone.
While he commended Enugu state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his Lagos state counterpart, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu for doing well in sponsorship of Christian pilgrims.
He said Ebonyi state Governor had promised to sponsor about 300 pilgrims, Imo state 500 and Lagos 300.
Rev Pam disclosed that NCPC would soon unfold a scheme that would enable intending Pilgrims to save money and sponsor themselves, adding that the Commission would ensure that the church takes over the sponsorship of Christian pilgrimage.
He said he had been to many states in the country to build relationships with Christian fathers, church groups and the Governors to sponsor pilgrims.
Meanwhile, Pam who is also a peacebuilder stated that he has been involved in different peace missions to the South East to intervene on the issue of IPOB and the End SARS Protest in Lagos.
The NCPC boss said he came on board with a 6 point agenda in fighting corruption in the commission, rebuilding relationships with the governors and Christian fathers.
To fight corruption in the commission, the NCPC boss explained that he had made the procurement process clean by ensuring things like returning travel allowances when he was supposed to travel but could not make it.
He disclosed further that Jordan has been added into the Christian pilgrimage package while the Commission has put up a strategy to ensure there is zero abscondment of pilgrims.
Rev Pam said part of the strategy is also to peg the age limit of intending pilgrims to 40.
On why the commission is not considering including local religious sites in Nigeria on its package, or recognising them for pilgrimage, Rev Pam pointed out that based on the NCPC Act, the body can only embark on pilgrimages to sites connected with Jesus Christ’s missionary journey on earth and that of other notable prophets and patriarchs.
