The federal government has adopted the Kingdom of Jordan as the fourth permanent Christian pilgrimage destination.
The executive secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Yakubu Pam, disclosed when he paid a courtesy visit to the Jordanian minister of tourism and antiques, Mr. Nayef Alfayez in Amman, Jordan.
The NCPC chief said the federal government’s gesture was meant to cement and boost its relationship with the Arab country.
“The commission in the past had three pilgrimage destinations which are Israel, Rome and Greece but now Jordan has been officially added to our pilgrimage destinations. This is only possible because you opened your doors to us,” he said in a statement issued by his media office.
He said the new pilgrimage policy would also focus on improving diplomatic relations with the Middle-East country in the areas of peace, tourism, agriculture and technology.
He affirmed that a new bilateral relationship had been established between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Jordan.
Responding, Alfayez commended the federal government for considering and adding the holy sites in Jordan as viable pilgrimage destinations.
He said the peaceful co-existence between the Christians and the Muslims is the greatest value Jordan cherishes as an Islamic nation.
Also speaking, the Nigerian envoy to Jordan, Mr. Faruk Yabo, solicited for more cooperation in the area of visa procurement to enable more Nigerians have the opportunity to visit Jordan so as to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
