A group, under the aegis of Christian Volunteer Initiative, (CVI) has commended the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Tor Uja for retooling Christian pilgrimage, redefining and repositioning it, in a bid to sustain Nigeria’s good image since his assumed office in 2016.
The group in a statement in Abuja by its chairman, John Ako said worthy of mention is the commendations NCPC received from Service providers abroad, the government of Israel and Nigeria for effective management of the programme under his watch, which he said has drastically reduced cases of abscondment to the barest minimum.
Ako, while commending the NCPC helmsman for improving pilgrimage’s template, said he has been able to position Nigeria on the map of the world through his service to the country.
He added that his administration has been able to diversify pilgrimage from only government sponsorship to public and church ownership, saying that Rev Uja has taken pilgrimage to people whom he believes should own it, “the churches and the Christian community.
According to the group, ” NCPC under the Rev’s watch has increased the number of private companies that run pilgrimage, from about 32 that he met to about 120.
“All of them are engaging actively on pilgrimage Enterprise. It is on record last year, that about 2000 pilgrims were carried by these private groups, and hopefully by this year they will be doubling the number. They maintained.
“The NCPC boss through his policies has reduced abscondment to the nearest minimum, and we believe he will continue to make more progress.
” Rev Uja through his passion to upgrade pilgrimage was able persuade the government to accept the idea of building a pilgrims’ heritage camp, so that people don’t go to pilgrimage directly, but go through the camp for orientation, training and exposure for better education and preparation for the trip
“Rev. Uja has upgraded pilgrimage by promoting Nigeria’s nationalism there by Nigerialising it. When he assumed office, all the people that provided services for Christian pilgrimage, were producing souvenirs in their company’s colour, or their nation’s colour, he demanded that must change, now they produce all the souvenirs in Nigeria’s colours, and all the states that go on pilgrimage also produce all their clothing materials in Nigeria’s colours.
“Uja made this move so as to position Nigeria properly on the world map and to stamp our foot there, so people can say here is Nigeria.”
