Imam Imam
4 July 2009
Gusau — Zamfara State Pilgrims Welfare Board has appealed to the National Hajj Commission to increase the number of seats allocated to the state for this year's Hajj exercise.
Making the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Gusau, Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Abdullahi Gurbin-Bore, said the 5,500 seats allocated to the state was inadequate.
He said the allocated seats fell short of the over 6,000 allocated to the state last year, adding that many intending pilgrims were unable to make the trip to the Holy Land in 2008 because the seats allocated to the seat could not meet up with their numbers.
According to him, 80 per cent of intending pilgrims from the state have so far acquired the required e-passport for this year's exercise in Saudi Arabia.
The secretary described the process for the sale of the seats as transparent, saying each of the 14 local government areas of the state got its own share of the seats as earlier agreed with the board.
He commended the officials of Zamfara State Immigration office for their cooperation and understanding in processing and issuing of the e-passport to the intending pilgrims from the state.
Gurbin-Bore further tasked intending pilgrims from the state to comply with all laid down rules and regulations guiding the Hajj exercise, and especially appealed to them to shun taking drugs during the pilgrimage.
He also challenged the intending pilgrims to safeguard the image and dignity of Zamfara state during their trip to Mecca. He expressed dismay over the way Nigeria is being reported negatively to potray it as a country marred by social vices.
Gurbin-Bore said already, the state government has already secured accommodation for the pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and efforts are being intensified by the board to improve their social well-being while in the Holy Land.
He reiterated government's ban on pregnant women who intend to take part in the Hajj exercise.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
