NCPC Boss Expresses Readiness To Change the Face of Christian Pilgrimage 

By Chinedu Echianu

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite has vowed to change the face of Christian Pilgrimage in Nigeria, adding that it is his cherished mandate.

He disclosed this while playing host to officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission, (ICPC) in his office in Abuja on Tuesday.

A statement signed by Celestine Toruka, Deputy Director and Head Media and Public Relations at NCPC said the Executive Secretary explained that within his one year in office he has been able to get the Commission out of its financial quagmire, stating that when he assumed office on the 5th of February 2024, he met nothing on ground to start with, but today the story is different.

He pledged to work harmoniously and transparently with the anti graft agency for optimal results while reiterating that the Commission would always partner with anti-corruption agencies because they are partners in progress.

“We want a country where we will be corrupt free, where people work and earn an honest living.” the NCPC boss said. He further stressed the need for due diligence to be religiously adhered to in the Commission.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation who is also the director System Study and Review department in the ICPC, Mr Olusegun Adigun informed the NCPC boss that they were in the Commission for an advocacy visit. Additionally, he said they were in NCPC to brief the Executive Secretary of the mandate of ICPC vis-a-vis the functions of the Anti Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU).

He explained that the Federal Executive Council approved the Act setting up ACTU in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government in 2001 and about 600 MDAs as at today have established ACTU units in their organizations.

He commended NCPC for setting up an ACTU unit, he however expressed the need to have a functional ACTU unit in the Commission stating that the current ACTU unit in NCPC is not functional.

He further explained that ACTU”s mandate includes: system study, public enlightenment on ills of corruption, members to attend and act as observer at meetings of JSC/SSC and tenders board of MDAs and carry out periodic system review to identify and block all corruption prone loopholes and that ACTU is empowered to carry out all the mandates of ICPC, except prosecution.

Mr. Adigun solicited the cooperation of the Executive Secretary to strengthen ACTU to function effectively in the Commission.