NCPC Strategizes For Pilgrim’s Self Sponsorship Soon – Pam
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev Yakubu Pam, has announced plans by the Commission to unfold a scheme that would enable intending Pilgrims to save money and sponsor themselves.
Pam also said that the NCPC would ensure that the church takes over the sponsorship of Christian pilgrimage.
This was as he announced plans by the Commission to raise about 10,000 pilgrims for the 2021 Pilgrimage exercise to Israel, Jordan and Greece scheduled for February, 2022.
Pam, who announce this at an interactive session with the media in Lagos, said that the Commission had already raised about 3000 of the expected figure from the states.
He noted with dismay that the pilgrims spirit is dying in the South East which is a predominantly Christians area followed by the South West zone.
Pam said that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and his Lagos state counterpart, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu did well in the sponsorship of Christian pilgrims, adding that Ebonyi state Governor promised to sponsor about 300 pilgrims just as Imo state promised to sponsor 500 and Lagos 300.
The NCPC Executive Secretary said he had been to many states in the country to build relationships with Christian fathers, church groups and Governors to sponsor pilgrims, adding that such visit is a continuous one and important for the Pilgrimage process.
Pam further 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 governors and Christian fathers.
Commenting on the fight against corruption, the NCPC boss said that he had made the procurement process clean by ensuring that things like returning travel allowances when he was supposed to travel but could not make it is carried out.
Pam said that Jordan has been added into the Christian pilgrimage package, adding that the NCPC has put in place strategy to ensure there is zero abscondment of pilgrims.
He explained that part of the strategy is also to peg the age limit of intending pilgrims to 40, adding that sites approved based on NCPC Act include, Israel, Rome, Jordan and Greece.
Pam said Israel would be opened for pilgrimage in January 2022, while the commission is preparing for February to travel to the holy land.
On the issue of direct flight from Nigeria to Israel, the NCPC boss explained that the commission is working on getting the matter sorted out, but explained that Israel came up with a proposal that their security personnel must be in any flight emanating from Nigeria to Israel for security reasons which the commission rejected.
Pam however said the agreed plan is for the Israeli security operatives to come to Nigeria to inspect the facilities and security at the Nigerian airports and give their approval.
He further said the issue is not which airline operates direct flight to Israel but in sorting out the modalities that would make the direct flight possible.
He intimated that the NCPC is currently building a 12 storey building in the Central Business District in Abuja which it started from ground zero, saying that when completed it would be beneficial to the Pilgrims and staff On why the commission is not considering including local religious sites in Nigeria on its package, or recognising them for pilgrimage, the NCPC Executive Secretary said that based on the Act setting up the Commission, 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, adding that the sites can only be accommodated when the NCPC Act is amended and the sites are verified.
