The Executive Secretary Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Dr Yakubu Pam has said that nobody travels on pilgrimage without clearance from NCPC.
The NCPC boss made this disclosure in Lagos on 19th April,2023 during a strategic meeting with the executives and members of the Christian Tourism Practitioners Association of Nigeria, CTPAN.
He explained that the NCPC enabling Act of 2007 empowers it to superintend and coordinates all Christian pilgrimage activities to the Holy Sites around the world.

He affirmed that the Commission works closely with the various state Christian pilgrims welfare Boards in the mobilization of intending Pilgrims.
He emphasized that members of CPTAN have direct link with the Commission, stating that,” you can register with NCPC, but you are not allow to take pilgrims for pilgrimage without recourse to the Commission”. He stated further,” ” we want to be more organized than ever in pursuit of our pilgrimage activities “. He added,”I am committed for excellent service delivery, even staff of the Commission will be sanctioned if they are found wanting”, he stressed.

The NCPC helmsman averred that screening of intending Pilgrims is critical not because of abscondment, but to also ensure and certify the medical fitness of every intending Pilgrim.
He decried the situation whereby some desperate intending Pilgrims go through the Association so that they could use such platform to abscond while on pilgrimage. To this effect, he affirmed that the Commission,s policy on abscondment is stringent and would stop at nothing to punish erring culprits no matter whose ox is goed.
He informed members of CPTAN of the scheduled inaugural direct flight of Airpeace Airline to Tel AVIV, Israel on 2oth April. He urged them to leverage on this opportunity to fly their pilgrims directly to Israel through Airpeace Airline.
Rev Pam described the bold initiative of Airpeace Airline as a welcome development as far as the pilgrimage sub- sector is concerned.
The NCPC boss also intimated that the Jordanian Minister of Tourism is favourably disposed to visit Nigeria as soon as possible to strengthen the bilateral relationship between both countries.

He spoke on his recent exploration visit to Turkey where he visited some Christian holy sites.His words,” we are going to explore Turkey to link with our pilgrimage programmes so that we can connect it with business opportunities in the spirit of Apostle Paul”.
Earlier, the President of the Christian Tourism Practitioners Association of Nigeria, CTPAN Rev Dr. Israel Kristilere thanked the Executive Secretary for convening the meeting.
He pledged the cooperation of his members in advancing the cause of Christian pilgrimage in Nigeria, while stating that” it is a new dawn and they should be able to sing a new song,,”.
NCPC regulates the activities of CPTAN through issuance and renewal of operating license . The Commission also screens the intending Pilgrims of the Association and they are obliged to make use of the NCPC approved Ground handlers.
The Commission occasionally interfaces with members of the Association in order to keep them abreast with current trends in the industry.

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Nobody Travels on Pilgrimage Without NCPC’s Clearance – Rev. Pam