The Lagos State Government today inaugurated the Adhoc Committee for the 2019 Hajj Pilgrimage with a charge to the members to ensure that the state sustains its enviable position as the best in the country.
Speaking at the Inauguration, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, urged the committee members to see to the welfare and safety of the 2,234 pilgrims and also ensure that the entire pilgrimage process is performed peacefully.
He charged the adhoc committee to consider assignment as a serious job involving issues of welfare, safety and the array of logistics involved from Lagos to Mecca and back to the country.
According to him, “you are to ensure the comfort of the pilgrims, transportation to and within the Holy Land, accommodation and feeding of the pilgrims are taken care of. Your duties as a committee commence from Nigeria till their return and ends at the tendering of report and recommendation for improvement”.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrs. Adebunmi Adekanye stated that as part of the efforts to ensure an hitch free 2019 Haji operation, the state Muslim Pilgrim welfare Board had organized series of activities which include seminar, talks, sensitization, medical test amongst other exercises to prepare the pilgrims for the spiritual exercises. The process was concluded today at the LTV Blue Roof with prayers, advises from the clerics and guidance on the pilgrimage from Nigeria to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Permanent Secretary also announced that the National Hajj Commission issued the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrim commission an award as the best pilgrim commission for its disciplinary ways.
In his remarks, the Amir Hajj, Hon Abdul Lateef Abdul Hakeem promised that in spite of the reduced responsibilities with the National Hajj Commission fixing fares and providing accommodation and transportation, the plans for the year 2019 Hajj will remain top rate. He disclosed that the state had refunded N141,000 (One hundred and forty one thousand naira) extra fare.
Meanwhile, Muslim pilgrims from Lagos State will get a refund of N141,000 each from the government in line with the recommendation of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCOM).
The development followed the review of the cost of the pilgrimage by the Commission, which led to the reduction of the fare already paid by the pilgrims across the nation.
The news of the refund was disclosed on Wednesday by Amir of Lagos Hajj Delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Hon. Abdul-Lateef Abdul-Hakeem, during the orientation organised for pilgrims in the state by NAHCOM.
He said: “We usually make intending pilgrims pay deposit of the total fare. So, whenever the National Hajj Commission prescribes the Hajj fare, we always ask pilgrims to pay more. But this time around, what they paid was far above what they should pay. We have to refund the money to the pilgrims. It is their money and we have no right to appropriate their money.”
Refunding the pilgrims of the excess, Abdul-Hakeem said, this shows that the government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has zero tolerance for corruption adding that Lagos would be paying back an amount far above what other state would refund, because Lagos pilgrims paid more than their counterparts in other states.
The Amir promised that Lagos would sustain its excellent record in Hajj exercise, stressing that the welfare of the pilgrims would be safeguarded throughout the journey.
