Safety of pilgrims is of utmost concern to Lagos State Govt- LSCPWB Secretary
*Photo: Mrs. Yetunde Gbafe*
As part of the activities preceding the airlift of intending pilgrims to the Holy Lands, the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board has commenced the administrative and medical screening of pilgrims.
The Board Secretary, LSCPWB, Mrs. Yetunde Gbafe, at the opening of the screening exercise said the screening is in collaboration with the National Christian Pilgrims Commission and other relevant agencies of government in charge of verifying travelling documents.
Gbafe said the pilgrims who couldn’t be airlifted in the year 2023 due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts will also be screened again to ascertain the present status of their health.
She stated further that the safety of pilgrims is of utmost importance to the Lagos State Government and the National Christian Pilgrims Commission. She pointed out that the Executive Secretary, NCPC, Bishop Adegbite Stephen Tunde Victor is presently in Jerusalem having closed door meetings with relevant authorities in order to ensure hitch free pilgrimage.
Speaking on the medical aspect of the screening, Gbafe said, “We want our pilgrims to be fit, hale and hearty. We want to go to the holy lands and return with all our pilgrims, without any records of abscondment or death”.
She implored the intending pilgrims to give accurate and sincere information about their health status to the medical personnel, saying “This will afford the state government to make adequate preparation to cater for the medical needs of the intending pilgrims”.
The Head of Operations, NCPC Mr. Adetunji Olufemi stated that the administrative part of the screening exercise was designed to see the readiness of the intending pilgrims by validating their travel documents and verifying their motives.
The intending pilgrims are expected to be airlifted in the month of May 2024.
