Governor Ugwuanyi Charges Pilgrims [PICTURES]

"Pray for Enugu, incoming Mbah administration..."

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has urged the 300 Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Lands of Israel and Jordan to pray diligently for the state and the new administration of Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.

The government headed by Governor Ugwuanyi sponsored the pilgrims.

In his remarks as he bid farewell to the pilgrims at Enugu's Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Governor Ugwuanyi also exhorted them to maintain proper behavior while in the Holy Land and concentrate on taking in the lessons of the Bible both before and after the life of Jesus Christ.

The governor emphasized that since taking office in 2015, his administration has relinquished control of Enugu State to God, saying that "God in His infinite mercy guided the administration and Enugu remains the most peaceful state in the country to this day."

Governor Ugwuanyi emphasized that as a real Christian, his administration has "walked the talk" when he said that the 300 Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land of Israel and Jordan traveled there "to give glory to God for His love and mercy for the past eight years."

The Governor recalled receiving the Best Pilgrimage Governor Award from the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) in December 2021 in honor of his administration's exceptional efforts to establish peace in the state and support for pilgrimages.

In addition, Governor Ugwuanyi revealed that his administration sponsored 300 pilgrims to the Holy Land of Israel and Jordan in July 2022, 30 pilgrims to the Holy Land of Rome in October 2022, and another 300 pilgrims to the Holy Land of Israel and Jordan in December 2022. He was praised for his consistency in sponsoring pilgrimages for Enugu residents.

According to him, the 300 pilgrims currently present in Israel and Jordan are there "to give glory to God for using us as an instrument to change the lives of the citizens through the provision of primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare services to the people of Enugu State; transformation of the education, agricultural, and judicial sectors, and the revolution in rural infrastructural development," among other initiatives.

Governor Ugwuanyi took advantage of the occasion to thank the religious event's organizers for "recording zero abscondments during the December 2022 pilgrimage, and he urged them to put all necessary measures in place to ensure that all pilgrims return back."

"As you embark on this spiritual exercise, we urge you to pray for our dear state and the incoming government," he stressed.

Speaking in response, Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), expressed his delight at Governor Ugwuanyi's dedication to the religious activity since the beginning of his administration. He added that the governor's active participation in ensuring that Enugu State is the first to begin the pilgrimage during each batch is the key to the program's success in the nation.

The NCPC Executive Secretary spoke to Governor Ugwuanyi as a friend of the commission and thanked him for his significant efforts and assistance.

Pam also praised Barr. Nestor Ezeme, Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, for his effort and commitment to duty, calling him the most effective and dedicated State Executive Secretary of the commission in the nation.

The executive secretary of the NCPC warned the pilgrims to exercise prudence and abstain from any behavior that would damage the state's or the nation's reputation.

For the first time, half of the pilgrims are priests, and Barr. Ezeme said, "and we are proud and happy to have them in our midst," praising Governor Ugwuanyi for consistently sponsoring the pilgrimage since he took office and for his great interest in the things of God.

Among the dignitaries present were Bishop Godwin Madu, Dr. Tony Okam, Rev. Emmanuel Edeh, State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Chairman of the Enugu State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.

PICTURES