The Executive Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency Alhaji Mukhtar Rabalan Yero has
The Executive Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency Alhaji Mukhtar Rabalan Yero has commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) for its giants and remarkable achievements over the year. He gave the commendation in Kaduna while receiving in audience the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission Mr. John Kennedy Opara, his Federal Commissioners, and Management Staff of NCPC who were in the state for a sensitization visit.
Governor Yero commended him for his visionary leadership and for his efforts to take pilgrimage in Nigeria to greater heights. In his words: “your efforts to move NCPC forward is highly commendable”, he prayed that God will continue to grant him the grace to make the Commission attain more heights.
He stressed the need for the two major religions in Nigeria to work together as one and respect each other’s faith in order to put an end to the crisis the country is facing, according to him, “though Nigeria is a country for both the Christians and Muslims but we all have equal rights.
Governor Yero urged Christian Leaders to always remind Pilgrims that pilgrimage is a spiritual journey that should transform people morally and spiritually and as such Christians who travel on pilgrimage should come back changed and in turn affect their society positively.
He promised to continually collaborate and support NCPC through the Kaduna State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board (CPWB) to ensure the success of this year’s pilgrimage exercise.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara described his visit to Kaduna State as two fold, for solidarity and to sensitize Christians for the 2014 pilgrimage.
He thanked the governor for giving him the priviledge to commence his 2014 sensitization visit in Kaduna State despite the short notice, in his words, “your hospitality and warm reception is highly commendable”. He also thanked him for allowing his Deputy Governor to accompany Mr. President on the Presidential pilgrimage last year.
He commended the Governor for his humility and commitment to take the state to greater heights especially in the area of Education and Agriculture, according to him, “God will continue to move the State forward”.
Mr. Opara informed the Governor that His Excellency Mr. President has approved the concessional exchange rate of $1 to N150 for this year’s pilgrimage and assured him that the package fee for 2014 pilgrimage will be relayed to him as soon as it is approved by Mr. President.
The NCPC helmsman also told the Governor that the Commission runs three pilgrimage packages in a year: The Easter Pilgrimage which is usually in March-April, the Family Pilgrimage which runs through July-August and the main pilgrimage exercise in October-December.
He used the opportunity presented by the sensitization visit to inform his Host that the Commission would flag off its family pilgrimage on the 26th of July 2014; he added that the family pilgrimage is to afford families the opportunity to pray together, in his words “a family that prays together stays together”.
He stressed on the essence and gains of pilgrimage which is built on moral and spiritual transformation. He maintained that pilgrimage should be for those are spiritually rich and materially poor.
He commended the Governor for sponsoring 902 Pilgrims from the State last year. He appealed to him to sponsor about 1500 Pilgrims for this year’s pilgrimage and urged Church Leaders in the State to join hand with the government to make the figure realizable.
Mr. Opara promised that in this year’s pilgrimage, Kaduna Pilgrims will be airlifted from Kaduna State airport instead of traveling to Abuja.
In the same vein, the Executive Secretary of NCPC Mr. John Kennedy Opara in his sensitization drive, held a meeting with both CAN and Members of the State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board.
Mr. Opara intimated the members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State Chapter that the Commission was doing everything possible to ensure that this year’s pilgrimage is successful and hitch free.
He urged them to work hard to get more self sponsored pilgrims from politicians and Christians who are financially buoyant so that the number of Christians travelling from Kaduna State would be more than the previous years.
He charged CAN and Members of the CPWB to continually pray for the peace of Nigeria, in his words, “.If we go down on our knees and pray for our country, God will answer our prayers and fight our battles”. He encouraged them not to give up because according to him, “the Challenges we face as a country will soon be over”.
Earlier, the CAN Chairman of Kaduna State, Bishop John Dodo thanked Mr. Opara, his Federal Commissioners and Management team for their visit to Kaduna State and promised that CAN will give NCPC and the Kaduna State CPWB all the necessary support to make this year’s pilgrimage a success. He thanked him for promising to airlift Kaduna Pilgrims from the Kaduna state Airport.
{gallery}2014 SENSITIZATION TO KADUNA{/gallery}