By Mustapha Yauri
The Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency has commenced a three-day Staff Capacity Enhancement Programme for its operation staff to enhance performance ahead of the airlift of Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem in January 2023.
Dr Yusuf Arrigasiyu, Executive Secretary of the agency, while speaking at the training in Zaria on Thursday, said the training is to reawaken staff of the agency in discharging their duties effectively.
Arrigasiyu added that the training became imperative as the two agencies with similar functions were merged recently by the state government (Christian and Muslim agencies), hence the need for capacity building to enhance synergy.
The executive secretary pointed out that in January, the agency would commence airlift of Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem, therefore, there is the need to re-strategize for better results.
He, therefore, restated the commitment of the agency to bridge the missing gap noticed during the previous years’ pilgrimage through enhancing the capacity of its staff to meet the existing challenge.
He added that Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency, which comprised both Muslim and Christian pilgrimage, would not compromise its standard in tandem with the international conduct of the annual ritual.
In his paper presentation, titled “Rewards for Selfless Service”, Dr. Yahaya Mujahid of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, stressed the importance of spiritual and mundane rewards after every service rendered.
He urged the pilgrim officers to target not only the mundane rewards which basically are their salaries but also the divine rewards that are spiritual.
Mustapha Yusuf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), also spoke on money laundering and other financial crimes at the workshop.
The EFCC official explained that corruption, bribery, fraud, and counterfeiting were all offences that constitute money laundering.
Yusuf further warned pilgrim officials to be wary of such negative tendencies as their duties involve dealing with different individuals from different backgrounds, tribes and ethnicity. (NAN)
