Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Tor Uja, has said that the Federal Government had approved a 65 per cent tax waiver for pilgrims.
Uja made this known when the chaplaincy committee of the National Christian Centre paid him a courtey visit on Monday in Abuja.
He said that the waiver would go a long way to reduce the cost of the October /December pilgrimage.
Uja said that the commission was still discussing with the air carriers and ground handlers on the issue of cost and would reach a conclusion in the next two weeks.
“We have written to President Muhammadu Buhari to give us waiver on some of the taxes that every pilgrim has to pay and the President has agreed a 65 per cent waiver on taxes.
“We are working with agencies and have also approached airlines to reduce flight tickets cost for every pilgrim, which we are still dialoguing.
“I have met with the ground handlers for the October /December pilgrimage. I will have to let this nation know how much pilgrimage is going to cost,’’ he said.
NCPC Chief Executive further stated that the youth pilgrimage that would be launched on August 27, comprised three components of spiritual, nationalism and productivity of the youth.
Uja said the three components would engage the youth better by giving them the understanding that the greatest thing they had was their nation.
He said the programme would also enable them to be productive through the agricultural training programmes in Israel.
“Our plan for the youth pilgrimage is in three folds: spiritual to have better assessment of themselves spiritually and engage their lives in a better way.
“ Also it is to generate nationalism; to make young people to know that the greatest thing they have is their nation and the defence of this nation is the development to their personality.
“We will take the youth through the agricultural training programmes in Israel so that they can come back and replicate or even surpass what they see in Israel,” Uja said.
Earlier, Rt. Rev Peter Ogunmuyiwa, the Coordinating Chaplain, National Christian Centre, Abuja, congratulated the NCPC boss and assured him that they would continue to work partner with him to achieve the goals of the commission.
Ogunmuyiwa prayed that God would grant him good health and the wisdom to carry on with the pilgrimage exercise.
