Ebonyi To Sponsor 350 On Holy Pilgrimage

The Ebonyi government said that it would sponsor 350 pilgrims in this year’s holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The Chairman of the state Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Fr. Vincent Odom, announced this in an interview with newsmen in Abakaliki.

He said the board had concluded medical screening of the intending pilgrims, adding the “350 intending pilgrims have been medically screened and certified fit, and their documents processed to embark on the spiritual exercise’’.

Odom said that the intending pilgrims cut across the armed forces, police, paramilitary forces, market organisations and the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

According to him, CAN’s slot is spread among the various blocks that make up the association and that only the nominated individuals were allowed to purchase the forms.

He said that Ebonyi had completed preparation for the transportation of its pilgrims for the 2012 pilgrimage.

“‘Our state is the only one in the South-East to have concluded early arrangements for the transportation of their pilgrims,’’ he said.

Odom maintained that government had always sponsored 350 pilgrims annually, adding that the figure was usually fewer when compared to other states.

“Ebonyi has not recorded any death, ill-health or disappearance of its pilgrims in the Holy land since the inauguration of the present board in 2009,’’ he said.

He said that the board was faced with the challenge of having the nominees come for early screening and processing of travelling documents.

“Most of the nominees do not turn up for early screening while some of the screened persons turn down their nomination at a late hour,’’ he said.