The Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has cleared the sum of N96 million in outstanding arrears owed by the previous administration to the National Christian Pilgrimage Commission, paving the way for seventy-eight pilgrims from the state to embark on a long-awaited spiritual journey to the Holy Land.
The Chairman of the Benue State Christian Pilgrimage Welfare Board, Michael Meladu, disclosed this while hosting the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benue State Council, led by its Chairman, Bemdoo Ugber, at the Board’s office in Makurdi.
Fr. Meladu explained that the 2025 pilgrimage by the Benue contingent came after three years of inactivity due to the unpaid arrears. He noted that Governor Alia’s decision to offset the N96 million debt was a clear demonstration of his administration’s commitment not only to infrastructural development across various sectors of the economy but also to the spiritual wellbeing of Christians in the state.
According to him, the governor’s intervention sends a strong message that spiritual growth remains a priority alongside economic and physical development. He added that the gesture has restored hope among intending pilgrims and strengthened the state’s relationship with the national pilgrimage body.
Fr. Meladu expressed the Board’s readiness to partner with the NUJ to effectively publicize its programmes and activities to the larger society. He promised to consider the Union’s request for the allocation of pilgrimage slots to journalists, stressing that journalism “controls the power of the mind” and plays a crucial role in shaping public perception.
He thanked Governor Alia for finding him worthy of the appointment and pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him by repositioning the Board. He said efforts were underway to not only give the Board a physical facelift but also to initiate revenue-generating projects.
“Already, I have briefed the Governor on the need to establish an international kindergarten which, when completed and commissioned, will become a revenue-generating entity that will help the Board execute other projects,” Fr. Meladu stated.
Earlier in his remarks, Comrade Ugber described Fr. Meladu’s appointment as a well-deserved recognition of his pragmatic and dogged leadership style. He observed that since assuming office, the Board had taken a new direction, particularly in securing the governor’s approval to sponsor Benue contingents to Jerusalem for spiritual growth.
“It was on the basis of your hard work that the State Working Committee of NUJ came to seek partnership in order to keep members of the public abreast of the activities of the Board,” Ugber said.
The NUJ Chairman further appealed to the Board to allocate pilgrimage slots to journalists, noting that such opportunities would not only rejuvenate their spiritual lives but also enable them to provide firsthand reports of pilgrimage activities in the Holy Land for people back home.
