Chinwe Ochu
6 October 2008
Abuja — Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Comm-ission (NCPC), Mr John-Kennedy Opara, has said 20,000 Nigerian pilgrims will attend this year's Christian pilgrimage to the state of Israel this year.
He said considering the extensive work of the Commission and state governors, airlifting of pilgrims to the holy land will commence on November 15, as screening of intending pilgrims would be concluded at the end of October.
Opara said the screening, which commenced in Ondo State, was carried out "to give geniune Christians the opprtunity to perform the exercise and reduce abscondment to zero level. The screening would be done according to laid down rules, devoid of favouritism."
Opara said this while addressing newsmen yesterday, on the Commission's preparedness for this year's pilgrimage to Israel.
According to him, the package for each intending pilgrim is N317, 600, excluding Basic Traveling Allowance (BTA), while deadline for payment is the October 28, 2008.
He said organisations, individuals or churches that embark on pilgrimage without being licenced by the Commission, would be sanctioned and prosecuted according to the dictates of the law.
He said, "as part of our mandate, we are exploring the possibility that by 2009, we should be able to comence journeys to Italy and other holy sites."
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