NCPC Introduces 3-Days Mandatory Camping For Pilgrims
BY TEMI OHAKWE, ABUJA – Plans are underway to introduce a Three-Day mandatory orientation programme for intending pilgrims in the states before their airlift to Jerusalem, Israel.
This is as the Commission declared that it will not comprise the health of Nigerian pilgrims and would work with the COVID-19 Protocols of the Presidential Task Force and that of the host countries.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) Rev. Yakubu Pam, who announced the new plans of the Commission, said the new arrangement will provide intending pilgrims the opportunity to understand the real essence of pilgrimage and spur them in the spirit of patriotism and nationhood.
Rev Pam, who stated these while briefing journalists on developments in the commission in his over 100days in office, said the new policy would de-emphasize and reduce abscondment and make pilgrims return to Nigeria and join in nation building after pilgrimage .
The NCPC Executive Secretary, also said that the Commission is currently training staff on leadership capacity building in pilgrimage screening in all the six zonal offices of the Commission to equip them on the new screening template and screening capability.
Pam further said; “The Commission has come up with a mechanism to discourage abscondment during pilgrimage by introducing stringent screening measures and also ensuring that guarantors are held liable for any pilgrim who absconds while in the Holy Land”.
He also said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has been appointed to head the mobilization team of Governors for the year 2020 December General Pilgrimage exercise to Israel.
Rev Pam further said that the commission has reintroduced a Special One Day Prayer and Fasting Session, tagged “A Day with Jesus”, in Jerusalem for Nigerian Pilgrims and Christian Public Office holders.
The NCPC boss expressed optimism that the Year 2020 General Pilgrimage exercise to Israel, Greece and Rome will be hitch free.
In the words of Pam; “Plans are on the way by the Federal Government to ensure that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Israel is activated so that Nigerian Airlines can airlift our Pilgrims direct from Nigeria to the State of Israel.
“The Federal Government has also granted the Commission the express approval to participate in the 2020 General Pilgrimage exercise to Israel, Rome and Greece”.
Rev. Pam also said that the Commission will soon flag off the inspection of designated international airports across the country to ascertain the readiness for this year’s pilgrimage operations, saying; “about eight international Airports will be used for the 2020 pilgrimage exercise”.
