Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA) has screened 1,027, of the 2023 pilgrims billed for refund of funds for services not rendered while performing Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on Tuesday, the head of information and communication of the Agency, Danmalan Bashar Balarabe, said funds for the refund were made available by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for onward disbursement to the States Pilgrims Welfare Boards across the country.
Chairman of Sokoto Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Aliyu Musa, hinted while supervising the exercise in the company of the Committee Chairman, the Hajj Operations, Abubakar Cika, and the Director of Administration and Acting Secretary of the Agency at its secretariat in the state metropolis.
It could recalled that a seven-man committee was set up on Thursday saddled with the responsibility to ensure each 2023 pilgrim has been adequately refunded what is due for him without delay based on the captured.
The committee commences verification of the beneficiaries on Friday.
Musa commended the efforts of the committee members while urging them to be more robust and courageous in the discharge of the laborious assignment.
He stated that Governor Ahmad Aliyu is up and doing ensuring that the State Pilgrims Welfare Agency performed its assigned responsibilities without hitch.
The Director of Administration who is also the Acting Secretary of the Agency, Ladan Ibrahim called on the beneficiaries to be in good habits and maintain law and order while at the screening venue.
According to him exemplary conduct of pilgrims was why Sokoto State won an international award in Saudi Arabia during the last Hajj exercise.
The data collected at the agency’s headquarters revealed that 243 beneficiaries have so far been screened while the remaining 784 were screened from the 23 local government areas of the state.
Speaking when contacted, the Chairman of Sokoto Hajj Registration Officers Forum (ROs) and Secretary for Sokoto North Local Government Area, Umaru Garba Goronyo, said the exercise was steadily progressing, adding that, the combination of both present and former AROs at the verification exercise have also yielded positive result.
Chairman of the Association of Assistant Hajj Registration Officers Forum (AROs), Musa Abdullahi of Bodinga Local Government Area, explained what contributed to the smooth running of the exercise is the provision made for the deceased and those who are far from the state.
Aliyu Musa told the gathering that, the day for the commencement of disbursement would soon be made public.
