The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), John Kennedy, said in Abuja on Saturday that about 28,000 Nigerians were expected to participate in the 2010 Christian pilgrimage to Israel and Rome, just as the country approved 95,000 Muslims for pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Kennedy said the screening of prospective members of the medical team for the pilgrimage had started.
“We are trusting in God that we have 28,000 pilgrims to be transported to Israel and Rome this year,’’ he said, adding that 1,000 of them would come from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Kennedy said that about 100 medical personnel would be recruited for the exercise.
The chief scribe, who had earlier addressed prospective members of the medical team, advised that only those who were medically fit should be cleared to perform the pilgrimage.
“Last year, we spent over $300,000 on medical bills and I would like to tell the medical committee this year that we don’t have that kind of money.
“Giving somebody a medical clearance when you know he or she is not medically fit is not right. Let us remove sentiments and face the job,’’ Kennedy added.
He promised that the Federal Government would provide the medical team with the needed facilities.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
Related articles by Zemanta
- 95,000 People Approved for Nigeria’s Hajj Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia (netnewspublisher.com)
- Romit And Tina Get Mata Ka Bulawa (netnewspublisher.com)
- Electricity Workers in Nigeria Suspend Nationwide Strike (netnewspublisher.com)
Glory to the Almighty God for such great favour. I salute you Mr Kennedy Opara and your board members. Your effort in making Nigeria great in the Holy Land will never be in vain. Keep the good work and the Lord will see you through. A new down is coming to the country especially for the Christians in tthe core north where such pilgimage priviladges are rare or not given at all. May the Lord sustained all the efforts.
Thank God for the number of Christians approved for the pilgrimage to the Holy land which is about 29% of the Muslims going for Hajj.Permit me to say that a situation where a state should deny Christians of this privilege and sponsor only Muslims for Hajj should be discouraged because Nigeria is a secular state.How do one justify some states in the south-south sponsoring Muslims for Hajj.Please, this anomaly should be addressed and corrected.Long live Nigeria.