The Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has officially disclosed the cost and detailed breakdown of the Pilgrimage package for the 2023/2024 Main Pilgrimage exercise to Rome and Greece. In a letter dated December 28, 2023, addressed to the Chairmen and Secretaries of all the States Christian Pilgrims Welfare Boards, the Director of Operations, Mr. Abu Okpanachi, signed on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Rev Dr. Yakubu Pam, conveying important details for the upcoming pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage is scheduled to commence at the end of this month, as per the letter. The NCPC outlined that the cost for the 2023/2024 Main Pilgrimage exercise to Rome and Greece is set at ₦3 million per pilgrim. This comprehensive amount encompasses a return flight, hotel accommodation, a three-course meal per day, and guided tours of holy sites in both Rome and Greece. The pilgrims will travel in executive luxurious buses for a duration of six nights and seven days.
It is crucial to note that the specified cost does not include Pilgrims Traveling Allowances (PTA). The Commission further specified that States that have previously paid for Israel and Jordan pilgrimages are required to make up the difference to participate in the Pilgrimage exercise to Rome and Greece.
Private pilgrims were encouraged to actively engage with the Rome and Greece Pilgrimage exercise by either downloading the Commission’s pilgrims form from the website www.ncpc.gov.ng or obtaining the forms from any of its zonal offices in Gwagwalada, FCT, Enugu, Yola, Kaduna, Port-Harcourt, and Lagos. Additionally, forms can be obtained from the NCPC Corporate Headquarters in Garki 2, Abuja, or the nearest State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Boards.
The Commission emphasized the importance of making payments before services are rendered, setting the deadline for payments on or before the last day of January 2024. This proactive step ensures a streamlined process for both States and private pilgrims participating in the pilgrimage exercise to Rome and Greece.