The
Office of Establishment for African non – Arab Pilgrims, in Saudi
Arabia, has honoured Kano state government with an award of Excellence
for overall performance in Hajj 2015.
Speaking
shortly after receiving the award at the Council Chambers, Government
House, Kano, the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje described it
as recognition of his administration’s compliance with Saudi
regulations on the annual religious obligation.
The
governor stated that he had already he had directed his deputy to lead a
delegation of public officials to secure accommodation for intending
pilgrims for the 2016 Hajj, explaining that the state government had
since stopped renting what he called “scattered accommodation” for its
pilgrims.
“Renting
accommodation is different places for our pilgrims is not the best. We
have therefore, decided to get accommodation for our pilgrims within one
vicinity for ease of coordination, guidance and transportation”,
governor Ganduje maintained.
He
noted with delight that the state deputy governor, who supervises the
state Pilgrims Welfare Board, had directed that agency should commence
the Hajj Savings Scheme, assuring that the government would continue to
give it necessary support to enable it serve better.
Dr.
Ganduje appealed to intending Pilgrims from the state to render maximum
cooperation to the Pilgrims Welfare Board and the state Hajj Tribunal
to ensure hitch free Hajj this year.
Presenting
the award and the state 2015 Hajj Report as compiled by the state
Pilgrims Welfare Board , the deputy governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar
explained that last year, about 5,745 people from the state performed
the pilgrimage out of which 21 lost their lives in a stamped, six died
naturally and two are still missing.
He
said seven mega apartments were secured to accommodate the pilgrims
with the state government provide about N256 million as subsidy on
accommodation apart from the N723 million spent on other aspects of the
exercise.
Ameen Yassar
Press Secretary to the
Exec. Gov. of Kano State
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