WHY EDO WILL NOT SUBSIDIZE PILGRIMAGE – OSHIOMHOLE

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says government would not use tax payers money to subsidize Pilgrimage.
Oshiomhole was speaking today when he granted audience to the Zonal Federal Commissioners and officials of the Nigerian Christian
Pilgrim Commission at Government House, Benin City.

According to the Governor “for those who want to travel for pilgrimage, we cannot discourage them. But what I am not ready to
do is to take tax payers money to subsidize someone who wishes to go and pray. I have issues with that because people who pay
taxes work so hard to pay”.

Oshiomhole noted “if you look at the totality of the challenges that we face, many are homeless; so many communities without
water, many schools we have rebuilt and still many more to be done; so many people are unemployed; many are hungry;
quite a number are in hospital who are not able to pay their bills. When you look at all these and several other problems, I am of
the conclusion that pilgrimage is not a priority”.

Oshiomhole said “I have a deeper insight into the challenges that confront the Nigerian nation and even Edo State and I have come
to the conclusion that pilgrimage is a luxury. Even from the point of view of the poor, a man who has no roof over his head cannot
be spiritually uplifted if he goes to Isreal and returns to a state of homeless”.

The governor declared “it happens to be an issue that I feel very strongly about when we subsidize pilgrimage. I would
rather subsidize production, subsidize education; subsidize health care because these are central to the survival of our
people. So this is an issue to which I have a very strong position”.

“The governor noted that government was not going to campaign for more people going on pilgrimage as this puts more
pressure on the exchange rate. In any case, only clean heart rather than pilgrimage is what will decide our place hereafter”.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Pilgrim Commission, Mr. John Okpara said they were in Edo State on a sensitization visit.
He said “I am here with the Federal Commissioners on a visit on the need for Government to partner with the Commission in
its transformation process. When I look at the legacies you are building, we need to create human beings that are morally
and spiritually transformed to be able to sustain the legacies”.

The Executive Secretary noted “your love for the people of Edo State is inspiring. Your drive and determination to develop the
State is encouraging. Your pursuance of justice and peace is something that the poor man hopes to live on.

On point,comrade. I've had this view for a while.

Pilgrimage is used by host country to extort money from unsuspecting victims of other nationals. There is nothing spiritual about it. I have seen people going on this pilgrimage only to come back as dead corpes. In advance country religion is an individual affair and not government matter. Any govt. In Nigeria who don't have what to do with money other than sponsor religious tourist should be fair to all religion by giving them their own share of the cake as it is not only christian and moslims that we have in nigeria, the traditionalist will like to go to Brazil to participate in traditional festivals . Good move by the Edo state govt. This reckless spending must stop when our youths are rumming the streets without work we are pumping money to Isreal and saudi arabia

This is a very articulate policy from the governor. I cannot see why Nigeria should be feeding those in their own country in the name of pilgrimage. This development would help check the increasing number of deluded religious fanatic in this country.