Governor Udom Emmanuel, says for Nigeria to come out of her socio-economic, political and security challenges, there is the need for the country to consistently seek God’s intervention through prayers and love for one another.
The Governor stated this when he received the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Rev. Yakubu Pam on his familiarization tour to Akwa Ibom.
Governor Emmanuel whose address was presented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Ini Adiakpan said with the spate of crime such as banditry, kidnapping, gender based violence, rape and child abandonment, Nigeria needs to resort to religion in order to salvage the country.
He said Akwa Ibom State government is committed to the spiritual wellbeing of her citizenry, expressing confidence that the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission and religious fathers would use the visit of the Executive Secretary of the NCPC to deliberate on the nation’s challenges, with the hope that decisions arrived at, will be useful to Akwa Ibom as a State, for a more rewarding pilgrimage experience.
Governor Emmanuel said he is optimistic the Rev. Yakubu Pam, who is also former Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Plateau State, will use his wealth of experience to further draw Nigerians closer to God through pilgrimage as the country needs Christ now more than ever before.
He thanked the Pilgrim Commission for the choice of Akwa Ibom as the venue of the interaction and exchange of ideas for the future of pilgrimage in Nigeria.
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The State’s Chief Executive described Christian pilgrimage as an avenue where people are taking back to the beginning of Christianity, walking the footstep of Christ, hence the need for Christian who has the opportunity to embark on the journey to be conscious of the importance of the exercise.
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Rev. Yakubu Pam, said he was impressed with the developmental strides of the Udom Emmanuel, especially the Ibom Air, industries and good road network, calling on other Governors to emulate their Akwa Ibom State counterpart.
He said he has also been encouraged by Governor Udom Emmanuel’s investment in agriculture to develop and agriculture desk in the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Abuja.
The Rev. Pam charged the Federal, State and Local Governments to initiate more programmes that will further engage the youths especially in agriculture, which he identified as the mainstay of the nation’s economy.
The Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Archbishop Cletus Bassey and the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Rev. NduesoEkwere who described the visit of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Rev. Yakubu Pam as historic, also thanked Akwa Ibom State Government for its support to the Christian community.
