Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto state has reiterated his administration’s determination to continue to improve on subsequent Hajj exercises in the state.
He stated this 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.
He said new measures would be introduced by his administration to ensure that subsequent Hajj exercises are more successful than the previous ones.
“The last Hajj operation in the state was indeed a success but we will make sure that we improve in terms of good arrangements and 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. I also thank our pilgrims for the orderly manner they orderly conduct both here and in the holy land.”
Governor 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 Isalmic 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.
Governor Aliyu highlighted some of the projects and programmes so far carried out by his administration. These included the construction and renovation of Jumaat Mosques and islamiyya schools, restoration of monthly stipends to Imams, their deputies and muazzins and the introduction of monthly cash allocation to Jumaat 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.
He reassured the people of the state of his determination to execute more people-oriented projects for the overall development of the state.
Earlier, Tukur Bala Bodinga commended the support given to the 2024 Hajj committee by the state government.
He praised Governor 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 to and 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 that need to be addressed in subsequent Hajj operations.
They include the need to employ more hands to ease the distribution of food to the pilgrims as well the need for local government secretaries to take their responsibility seriously during Hajj exercise.
He thanked members of the delegation for their unwavering commitment during the last Hajj operation.
