Niger State government this weekend take over the feeding of the 3, 405 citizens of the state that are currently performing the 2016 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The acting Secretary of the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Commission, Alhaji Umar Makun, disclosed this at a meeting with stakeholders in Mecca.
He said that the gesture was to assist the pilgrims and to make them concentrate on their worship.
He explained: “The initiative of the state government to foot the feeding bills of the pilgrims is a worthwhile gesture and it has assisted in alleviating the economic hardship facing the pilgrims and they are now concentrating in their prayers and other religious obligations”.
To avoid cases of missing luggage on the completion of the hajj, Makun said that the commission has adopted the unified method of baggage collection which would see all the pilgrims undergo pre-screening exercise to ensure that they comply with the mandatory, 32kg and 8kg luggage limit required at the airport.
In line with the state government’s handing-off of pilgrimage funding, the acting secretary also explained that the pilgrims would now be responsible for the payments of their Ram sacrifice (Hadaya) and not the commission, stressing, “they are expected to pay through JAIZ Bank.”
Makun further disclosed that
return flights by FLYNAS were expected to begin on the of September 18, 2016, adding that the, Zam-Zam water had already been airlifted to Mina, and are to be collected by pilgrims on arrival at the hajj camp.
While commending the Area Pilgrims Welfare Officers (APWOs), the pilgrims’ medical team, the Ulamas, the 2016 pilgrimage officials and officials of the commission for contributing immensely to the success so far recorded, Makun urged them not to relent in completing the good job done during the hajj activities till their safe return home.
Leader of Medical Team, Dr. Baba Uthman, had urged all the pilgrims not to dent the image of the state by ensuring they maintain good sanitary conditions while in the holy land especially where they were accommodated.
He advised them to avoid junk food to remain healthy during the exercise.
The team leader also advised the pilgrims against exposing self to excessive heat in the Holy land just as he challenged the APWOs to always carry out routine visits to the pilgrims’ residence to identify their health needs and direct them to appropriate medical handlers.
For easy identifications during emergencies, Baba said the state’s pilgrim commission provided wrist bands which they are expected to always have on and also encouraged them to have their face masks on to avoid contacting airborne diseases.
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