THE
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission
(NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara has said that the commission would
collaborate with Greece for improved pilgrimage activities, especially
in the area of visa issuance for intending pilgrims to Greece. He disclosed this recently in his office in Abuja while playing host to the Greece Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Dionisions Sourvanos.
“We as a commission will partner with you, we promise to assist in any way possible to make this partnership work.”
Opara intimated the Ambassador that the commission had extended its pilgrimage operations to Rome and Greece to accommodate New and Old Testaments thus making pilgrimage a complete circle.
He informed the Ambassador that the act setting up NCPC empowers it to coordinate all pilgrimage activities to Israel and other holy sites in the holy land. Opara intimated the Greece Envoy that the commission has an understanding with the Italian government in the area of issuance of Shengen visas to intending pilgrims to Rome as well as ground handlers.
He hinted that based on the understanding the commission has with Italian authorities, about 5000 Nigerian pilgrims had successfully travelled to Rome without any recorded case of abscondment.
“We can assure you that the pilgrims that go to Greece will always return.”
Opara also informed the visiting ambassador that the commission also has an understanding with ground handlers in Israel and Rome who work harmoniously with ground handlers in Greece.
The NCPC boss further told his guest to work out the modalities of procuring Greece visas to the intending pilgrims to Greece and that the commission would do everything possible to assist the rmbassy in bringing this to fruition.
In his response, the Greece Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sourvanos promised to collaborate with NCPC despite the daunting challenges encountered by the embassy.
He explained that the issue of visa procurement for intending pilgrims to Greece would be handled by all the relevant departments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Religious Affairs in Athens, Greece.
He added that about 20 million tourists visit Greece every year. He thus assured, “we must make use of all the possible means.”
The envoy further reiterated that his embassy would support the NCPC to realise its targets, therefore thanked the NCPC boss and his management team for the invitation to visit the commission which he considered a great honour.
“I thank you for our meeting which was held in a really friendly atmosphere and I hope that everything we have discussed today will be realised.
Personally, I believe and will do all that is possible for this.”
