The Federal Capital Territory Administration has maintained its lead for two consecutive years the overall best among the states and armed forces of federation in hajj operations.
This was as a result of award presented to the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in recognition of its outstanding performance in hajj 2018.
The Award was presented to the Director of the Board, Mallam Muhammad Bashir by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi who represented the Senate President, Senator, Ahmad Lawal during the stakeholders meeting on 2019 hajj exercise and Award Presentation held at the National Mosque, Abuja on Tuesday 25th of July, 2019.
The FCT won and retain the first position in recognition of its superb management of hajj matters in 2018 in all aspects which include education and orientation, transportation arrangements in Saudi Arabia, feeding arrangements, Information management, accommodation and camping of pilgrims as well as general welfare of the FCT contingents during the exercise both in Nigeria and in the holy land of Saudi Arabia.
This is the second time the board took the first position as the board also won the similar award of excellence for outstanding performance in 2017 hajj operation.
In his comment on the award, the Director of the board, Mallam Muhammad Bashir expressed his happiness and pledged the determination of the entire staff of the board to improve on the services to the FCT contingent during this year’s hajj operation.
Mallam Bashir said the award would surelly ginger the entire staff to work harder in ensuring a hictch free 2019 hajj exercise.
He expressed his appreciation to the management of the entire FCT Administration that supported the board to clinch and retain the award for two consecutive years.
In another development, the board has commenced refunds to intending pilgrims who paid trough the board for this year’s hajj following the reduction of the hajj fare earlier announced by the NAHCON.
A statement from the Public Relation Officer of the board, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu said that, intending pilgrims who paid before the reduction are to forward their account details and photocopy of their evidence of payment to the area officer where they made the payment to process the refund.
According to Muhammad Lawal Aliyu, the new hajj fare for this year’s hajj is N1,497,480.65k (One Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty Naira, Sixty Five Kobo) only.
He said, in order to ensure transparency and accountability, intending pilgrims without bank account, were requested to write authorising the board to pay the refund to the account number of their choice.
He disclosed that the board has also extended the deadline for the registration of intending pilgrims to 14th of July, while airlift of FCT intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia is due to commence on 10th of July.
Similarly, the board is to administer inoculation of the intending pilgrims this weekend at the permanent hajj camp Bassan Jiwa from 8 oclock in the morning.
A time table released by the board, indicate that intending pilgrims from Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Bwari area councils would be inoculated on Saturday 29th of June while intending pilgrims from Headquaters, Kuje and Abuja Municipal Area Councils are to report on Sunday 30th June 2019.
Meanwhile, The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria also awarded Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board as the second overall best state Pilgrims Board during the 2018 Hajj exercise.
The Executive Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar, stated this at the stakeholders meeting and presentation of awards to some best performing Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards during the last Hajj Operation organized by the Commission held at Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Presenting the award to the Executive Secretary of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, represented by Senator Sahabi Musa, congratulated the Kano state Government, the management of kano Pilgrims Board and its entire operational staffers over the award
Commenting on the procedure of the nomination, the Executive Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar, said the award was presented to Kano Pilgrims Welfare Board best on its outstanding performance during the last hajj exercise
The Executive Chairman pointed out that Kano was nominated over its good arrangement in terms of enlightens and educating pilgrims, provision of Good transport system, accommodation and hygienic food, discipline, protection of live and their properties among others.
Responding shortly after receiving the award, the Executive Secretary of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Muhammad Abba Dambatta, expressed delight over the new development and assured to redouble effort in the direction with a view to emerge the overall winner during the upcoming Hajj Exercise
He revealed that the achievement was as a result of full support and corporation the Board has been receiving from the Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the management and the entire staff of the Board.
