Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has reiterated his administration’s determination to continue to improve on the subsequent Hajj exercises in the state.
He gave this assurance on Friday while receiving the 2024 Hajj report from the leader of the state’s Hajj delegation, Rt. Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga, Speaker, State House of Assembly.
According to him, new measures would be introduced by his administration to ensure the subsequent Hajj exercises become more successful than the previous ones.
“The last Hajj operation in the state was indeed a success story, vowing, “but we’d make sure that we improve in terms of good arrangements and the welfare of pilgrims both at home and in the holy land.
“I commend the members of the State’s Hajj delegation and officials of the state Pilgrims Welfare Agency for the good arrangements and also thank our pilgrims for the orderly manner they have conducted themselves both here and in the holy land.”
Gov. Aliyu also said the arrangement put in place by the administration during the last Hajj exercise had earned the state an “Award of Excellence’ from the Saudi Arabian authorities.
He assured the people of the state of his administration’s commitment towards promoting Islamic affairs in the state.
” As you all know, Sokoto state is predominantly a Muslim community, therefore, we’ve to do everything humanly possible to assist in the propagation of Islamic ideals in the state,” the Governor added.
The Governor further highlighted some of the projects and programmes so far carried out by his administration, which included the construction and renovation of Jumuat Mosques and Islamiyya schools, restoration of monthly stipends to Imams, their deputies and Muazzins and the introduction of monthly cash allocation to Jumuaat Mosques.
Others were the provision of a myriad of palliatives, food and cash assistance to clerics across the 23 local government areas of the state.
Gov. Aliyu reassured the people of the state of his determination to execute more people-oriented projects for the overall development of the state.
Earlier, Rt. Hon Tukur Bala Bodinga commended the support given to the 2024 Hajj committee by the state government.
He praised Gov. Aliyu for the completion of the Hajj terminal, adequate funding of Hajj operations, ensuring the welfare of the state contingents during the last Hajj exercise, as well the timely evacuation of pilgrims from the holy land.
“None of our pilgrims was found violating the Saudi laws during the last exercise, and this is indeed worthy of commendation, “he added.
The Speaker, however, said that although the last Hajj operations recorded a huge success, there were certain challenges encountered that need to be addressed in the subsequent Hajj operations.
They include the need to employ more hands to ease the distribution of food to the pilgrims as well as the need for local government Secretaries to take their responsibility seriously during the Hajj exercise.
He thanked the members of the delegation for their unwavering commitment shown during the last Hajj operation.
