PRESIDENT JONATHAN COMMENDS NCPC

The President of the Federal Republic, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

The President of the Federal Republic, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), for the visible transformation that has taken place in the Commission.

The President made this disclosure in Aso Presidential Villa Abuja while receiving the 2014 Christian Pilgrimage report from the Federal Government Delegation, led by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).Mr. President commended members of the delegation for a wonderful Christian Pilgrimage Exercise in 2014.

He equally stated that Christian Pilgrimage had become strong and would get stronger in the years ahead. He commended the Commission for a successful hitch free pilgrimage exercise last year.

The No 1 Citizen also applauded the number of innovations brought to bear in the Commission by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. John Kennedy Opara. He commended him for his tireless efforts at repositioning the entire pilgrimage sub sector.

Mr. President was particularly delighted that there was no ugly incident recorded during the last year’s pilgrimage.

Earlier in his address, the President of CAN and the Leader of the Delegation Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor thanked Mr. President for the opportunity to serve the nation.

Some of the observations made by the President of CAN in his recommendations include: the need to adequately fund the Nigerian Embassies in Rome, Greece and Tel-Aviv in order to serve their roles as pilgrimage posts.

He equally recommended that the Commission should continue to do everything in its power to encourage indigenous participation in the Air carrier aspect of the pilgrimage operations.

Pastor Oritsejafor also canvassed that the Federal Government should assist in developing the Pilgrimage Camps now provided for the Christians at major airports of the nation to alleviate the current challenges suffered at the airports.

He also emphasized on the need for NCPC to institute annual award program so that recognition is given to states, organizations and individuals who pay earliest and those who sponsor sizeable numbers of Pilgrims. According to him “we believe that this will act as an encouragement to others to do the same. This will also continue to boost the increase in self sponsorship.

He further requested that the Commission should endeavour to organize the sensitization campaigns to get corporate Nigerians involved in sponsoring pilgrims.

He requested that Mr. President should be encouraged to institute the programme “a Day with Jesus for Nigeria in Jerusalem” as an annual event to strengthen the Church and create a spiritual overflow for the benefits of the Nation.

The Leader of Delegation also posited that the Executive Secretary of NCPC, Mr. John Kennedy Opara should be highly commended for his untiring efforts in handling the Presidential pilgrimage, the newly introduced family pilgrimage, which brought so many families together in Christ thereby strengthening the foundation of the Church as well as the entire pilgrimage operation which has continued to attract great admiration before the international Community.  

At the end of every October/December Pilgrimage, the members of the Federal Government Delegation usually appointed by Mr. President submit report to him on the success and challenges of the exercise. Members of the Federal government Delegation to Israel are Christians drawn from government and private sector