MAKURDI – The Benue Pilgrims Welfare Board says the board has concluded arrangements for pilgrimage, but waiting for the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) clearance to commence transport.
Rev. Fr Michael Melladu, the Board Chairman, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi.
Melladu said that the board was waiting for the clearance because of the current security situation in the Middle East.
He told NAN that intending pilgrims had been screened and were ready for the trip whenever the board got a clean bill to move.
According to Melladu, the board under his leadership has reactivated and reinvigorated the hitherto inactive Christian Pilgrims Board to carry out its mandate.
“Before the current government came into power, the office had been in a state of complete inactivity for three years, as nothing was going on.
“When we assumed office, one of the biggest challenges we faced was a debt of ₦96 million left by the previous administration.
“When we attempted to embark on a pilgrimage, we were informed in Abuja that any payment we made would first be used to offset part of the debt, and only what remained would be applied to processing our trips.
“I went to Abuja and appealed to the National Executive Secretary to give us some time to stabilise before paying off the debt gradually.
“So far, we have been able to make one trip since taking over.
“We were scheduled to travel on the 20th of this month, but we are now waiting for clearance from the National Security Adviser to the President before proceeding,” he said. (NAN)
