Media Pilgrimage package underway -NCPC Boss

Rev. Yakubu Pam, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has said it would initiate a media pilgrims package for journalists.

Pam stated this at a news conference on the conclusion of the December 2022 main pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan, and the unveiling of the commission’s 2023 Easter pilgrimage on Monday in Abuja.

He said journalists would embark on the exercise to do a proper coverage and documentation of holy sites for documentaries for the country’s benefit.

Pam said more holy sites would be explored soon for pilgrimage, as the commission intended to enter more bilateral ties for Nigeria and other nations.

He said that 4,000 Nigerians had embarked on the first phase of the main pilgrimage, as more are expected in the second phase , making the 10,000 target by the commission achievable.

Pam said the commission has better standard now for the welfare of pilgrims and also have zero abscondment.

“We have prioritised the welfare of pilgrims and have better security watch to ensure there are no records of abscondment”, he said

He thanked all the states, individuals and organisations for their partnership with the commission for the success of the exercise.

Pam commended Air Peace Nigeria and the Israeli government for initiating the historical direct flight from Nigeria to the State of Israel.

The NCPC Boss said the flight between the two countries would cut travel time from 27 hours to five hours.

Pam said this would be a historical feat, as there had never been a direct flight between the Middle East nation and Nigeria.

He said Israel has started opening new routes to connect the world, and identified Nigeria as one of the leading countries in Africa that maintained close ties with Israel. NAN

IWS reiterates commitment to empowering women

The International Women’s Society (IWS) has pledged to continue to empower the disadvantaged in the country, particularly women and children.

The President of IWS, Mrs Izabella Abia-Okon, said this during the association’s April meeting and cultural exchange programme in collaboration with the Nigerian-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday in Lagos.

According to Abia-Okon, IWS in 1999 established a skills acquisition centre in Lagos State, to elevate the socio-economic status of women in the state and country at large.

She said an average of 100 students graduate annually from the centre which offers vocational training in catering and events management, sewing and fashion designing; makeup; adult literacy; and computer related courses, among others.

Abia-Okon said that the exercise had helped to promote the springing up of more micro enterprises, thereby addressing the scourge of unemployment in the country, especially among the womenfolk.

She noted that the skills centre was NABTEB certified, which enables graduates to work anywhere in the world.

She, however, called on wellmeaning Nigerians to support the association so as to continue its mission of empowering the underprivileged in the society.

“As an NGO project, we face significant financial challenges in sustaining our operations and providing quality hands on training, scholarships, and startup support for our graduates.

“We rely on the support of generous donors, and together we can make a difference in lives of the less privileged in our society,” she said.

IWS was founded in 1957 in Lagos by a group of publicspirited women set out to champion women’s courses using its cut clear programmes that generally focus on providing for the less privileged; supporting widowed women financially; and providing avenues for acquisition of productive skills toward financial independence and development of their respective communities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlight of the meeting was networking and understanding the opportunities of a Nigerian and Hungarian collaboration. NAN