Covid-19 Slow Down Activities At Kogi Christian Pilgrims Commission
Olawale Adebayo, Lokoja
The outbreak of coronavirus( Covid-19) pandemic in the country since February 2020 has been attributed to the low activities at Kogi State Christian Pilgrims Commission in the recent past .
Just as the Commission has disclosed that arrangements have been concluded to commence the air lifting the intending pilgrims particularly those that have been denied Visa to participate in pilgrimage to Holy land as a result of out break of covid -19 pandemic in 2020.
Mrs. Halimat Salihu who made this known while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja on Friday ,stated that the commission is working round the clock to ensure that those denied visa last year top the priority list.
She explained that the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic has distorted a lot of commission’s programmes ,noting that it was never a dull moment for the Commission like this in past.
She noted that the Isrealis authority were said to be 95 percent ready to allow pilgrims in to Jerusalem but for another wave of Covid- 19 pandemic, noting that as soon as the commission gets the green light the air lifting will commence as early as possible.
She further noted that for now it is only Cites in Jordan are opened to intending pilgrims ,saying that the Kogi State Pilgrims Commission are currently contacting those who have paid last year if they are interested in going to Jordan which used to part of cites to visited from Jerusalem.
The Permanent member number 1 also revealed that the intending pilgrims will pay addition $120 for PCR test , noting that the starts from Nigeria and and two other point in Jordan and and finally when they return home.
On Covid-19 pandemic vaccination, Mrs Salihu pointed out that the State government had brought Vaccine to the State, noting that this is at discretion of pilgrims to take vaccination or the PCR Vaccine .
She added that the commission gets will not force covid -19 vaccination on any pilgrims from Kogi State.
She added that the Commission has since been working with National Disease Control NCDC and waiting patiently for further instruction .