Pilgrimage: NCPC allocates 2000 seats to FCT

By Stanley Onyekwere

For this year pilgrimage to Israel, the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission has allocated two thousand slots to Christians in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Executive Secretary of the commission, John-Kennedy Opara, disclosed this during a sensitisation visit to FCT minister at the weekend.

He said intending pilgrim from Nigeria to Israel will pay N307, 540 (three hundred and seven thousand five hundred and forty naira) for the 11-day spiritual exercise.

The NCPC boss however called on the FCT minister to encourage individuals who are rich in FCT, to sponsor willing but poor Christians for the pilgrimage.

Commending the Senator Bala Mohammed- led FCT Administration for the support it rendered to the commission, in ensuring the success of pilgrimage conducted in the past years.

“We have worked out the details; FCT has been allocated 2000 slots for this year’s exercise. We want to appeal to you (FCT minister) to use your good position to ask all the people doing one job or the other in FCT to encourage pilgrimage by paying for Christians in FCT, who are spiritually rich but materially poor,” Opara stressed.

Responding, the FCT Minister, assured that the slots allocated to FCT will be fully utilized, adding that the FCT administration will also be ready to pick up other slots that will be left by any state.

He equally commended the NCPC leadership for using pilgrimage to promote peace and unity in the country, just as he cautioned politicians against making unguided comments capable of causing or aggravating crisis in the land.