By Albert Akota
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev Dr. Yakubu Pam has declared that nobody travels on pilgrimage without clearance from the Commission.
The NCPC boss made this disclosure in Lagos during a recent p strategic meeting with the executives and members of the Christian Tourism Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CTPAN).
He explained that the NCPC enabling Act of 2007 empowers it to superintend and coordinates all Christian pilgrimage activities to the Holy Sites around the world.
He affirmed that the Commission works closely with the various state Christian pilgrims welfare Boards in the mobilization of intending Pilgrims.
The NCPC helmsman averred that screening of intending Pilgrims is critical not because of abscondment, but to also ensure and certify the medical fitness of every intending Pilgrim.
He decried the situation whereby some desperate intending Pilgrims go through the Association so that they could use such platform to abscond while on pilgrimage.
To this effect, he affirmed that the Commission’s policy on abscondment is stringent, and it will would stop at nothing to punish erring culprit, irrespective of status in the society.
Earlier, the President of the Christian Tourism Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CTPAN), Rev Dr. Israel Kristilere thanked the Executive Secretary for convening the meeting.
