Catholic Bishops ask Government to hand off religious pilgrimage and sponsorship of pilgrims

The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria has asked both the federal and state governments to hand off the organization of religious pilgrimages in Nigeria.They also want government to stop sponsoring pilgrims for religious pilgrimages. The Catholic Bishops Conference President, most Reverend Lucius Ugorji, made the call during the visit of the Bishops to President Tinubu at the presidential villa on Friday

The bishops told the president that stoppage of pilgrim’s sponsorship by governments would reduce waste and official corruption.

According to the bishops, public funds spent on sponsoring pilgrims should be redirected to the pressing national needs. On the organization of religious pilgrimage, the bishops say it should be the full responsibilities of religious organizations and not government At the moment, the bishops argued that both the national and state pilgrims’ welfare boards are not serving the broader interests of the Country.