The Kaduna State Government has announced plans to revive Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem after about 12 years, signalling a return to state-backed participation in the religious exercise.
The pilgrimage programme was suspended under a previous administration, while the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Agency was also scrapped.
As a result, Christian faithful in Kaduna were excluded from the government-sponsored pilgrimage scheme for more than a decade.
Governor Uba Sani announced the planned revival on Wednesday at the 48th Annual National Conference of the National Association of Christian Religious Educators of Nigeria (NACREN) in Kaduna State.
The conference, themed “Emerging Challenges and Pathways for National Development,” brought together Christian religious educators from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The governor, who was represented by the Director-General of the Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith, Tahir Tahir, said his administration was committed to promoting fairness and strengthening religious and moral values in the state.
Sani stressed the importance of Christian religious educators in shaping the character of young people, urging them to intensify efforts to instil sound moral principles in children and youths.
He also called on parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to study Christian Religious Studies, describing the subject as important to character formation and the development of responsible citizens.
The governor further highlighted measures taken by his administration in the education sector, including improved salaries for teachers and plans to recruit additional teaching personnel.