By Ngozi Nwankwo
Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Bishop Stephen Adegbite has visited Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Makram Mustafa Queisi, as well as top officials of the Ministry in Amman, Jordan to seek for a renewed robust relationship between the Commission and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan which has become a pilgrimage destination for the Nigerian pilgrims in the last three years.
Adegbite who was on visit to thank God for the opportunity to renew the existing relationship between the Ministry of Tourism and NCPC, equally appreciated God for his love for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan which has continued to remain one of the most peaceful and stable nations in the entire middle east.
The NCPC boss revealed that Nigerians and the Christian community were highly excited with the existing cordial relationship between the Jordanians and the Nigerian pilgrims that had so far visited Jordan in the last three years.
He commended the Jordanians for their Pilgrimage friendly disposition, urging them them to sustain the tempo.
Adegbite assured his host that Nigerians as a people and christians in particular would continue to partner with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in order to advance the cause of Christian Pilgrimage by exploring landmark Holy Sites as recorded in the bible.
“We will fulfill the life pattern of our Fathers in Faith,” he said.
He noted that the screening of intending pilgrims are usually handled by professionals in government to ensure that all pilgrims return to Nigeria after the spiritual exercise.
Bishop Adegbite appealed to relevant agencies of government in Jordan to consider the need to upgrade such sites as the baptismal site of Jesus Christ in River Jordan, the Jabok River , amongst others to a befitting international status.
He also canvassed for the retraining of their tour guides for effective service delivery and also to assist in facilitating the deployment of better bus service equipped with modern communication gadgets which could be possible through an interface between the Jordanian government with the Ground Handlers.
Speaking, the Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the Secretary General of the Ministry, Dr Emad Hijazeen thanked the Executive Secretary for his first official visit to the Ministry since his assumption of office.
The Minister also congratulated Adegbite for his appointment by the President of Nigeria.
Queisi pledged the cooperation of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and assured him that all the concerns raised for a better Pilgrimage operations would be promptly addressed.
The Minister maintained that the Jordanians are at home with the Nigerian pilgrims and would do everything as a government to ensure that the bilateral relationship between the two countries would be strengthen.