By Rosemary Ogbonnaya
Executive Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwanyi has named the best Pilgrimage Governor in sponsorship of pilgrims in South East in the just concluded pilgrimage exercise to the kingdom of Jordan.
The presentation of the award was done by the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev. Yakubu Pam, at the Government House in Enugu on the 21st December.
The NCPC boss described the Enugu State Governor as the best Governor in the sponsorship of pilgrims to the Holyland in the South East Zone and a person with a friendly personality who extends a hand of friendship to all.
“You are a friendly person and a religious leader not only to Christians but to both faiths”. He also added “The number of pilgrims that came from Enugu overwhelmed all the other states and that shows that not only politically you are coordinating, but spiritually you are leading and the best way to encourage you is to come here physically with an award for the best governor in the South East,” he said.
Pam recongised Gov. Ugwuanyi as a friend and an ambassador of NCPC .
In his words, “You remain our number one ambassador in the South East.
“This is one of the reasons that has led us to come here to encourage you that you remain the father to the South East not only in the aspect of pilgrimage but other works we have seen that you have done in terms of infrastructure in the rural areas, in terms of street lights, in terms of intervention on federal roads, among others we have seen with our physical eyes.”
The NCPC boss commended the Governor for the innovations he has brought to bear in the area of infrastructures and economic development in the state.
He encouraged him to keep up his good works in Enugu State.
Pam informed the governor that Enugu State had the highest number of sponsorship in the South East during the 2020 pilgrimage exercise to the Kingdom Jordan. According to him “Out of the five states in the South East you were the first state that did very well”.
The ES encouraged his host to keep being an example to other states.
“We are here to encourage you to continue to be the father in pilgrimage and not relent in your number of sponsorship,” he said.
Pam thanked Ugwuanyi for the participation of Enugu State in the just concluded 2020 pilgrimage exercise to Jordan.
In his response, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi thanked the NCPC boss for hounouring him with the award.
“I thank you for this honour and I dedicate this award to the body of Christ in the state”. Furthermore, he added, “When the Grace of God came calling and it pleased the most High that I become the Chief Servant of this great state, it came as a tonic and opportunity for greater service to greater number of people. At inception, our administration put Enugu State in the Hands of God and His Hands have been manifest in all we do. He has delivered us through the most turbulent times and His blessings are still counting,” he said.
The governor also informed that God has always been faithful to the people of the Enugu State as the state has enjoyed peace and stability. According to him, “God’s hand has been made manifest in all we do as such we continue to thank him”.
Ugwuanyi assured his guest that his administration would continue to encourage the people of Enugu state to keep seeking the face of God.
