Ahead of the 2017 Hajj, the Plateau State Government said it has paid for 400 intending pilgrims, who could not perform the exercise in 2014 but their monies were not refunded.
This was disclosed by Alhaji Dayyabu Garga, the Amirul Hajj for Plateau State pilgrims,
Garga, who is Plateau Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs said that out of those sponsored by government, 400 were deferrees who paid for the exercise in 2014 but could not go.
The Amirul Hajj said that the situation generated a lot of problems and government decided to sponsor those that still wanted to perform the hajj and refunded the monies of those that were no longer interested.
“The case of the diversion of the 2014 hajj fare is with the EFCC and other anti corruption agencies and government decided to sponsor those who wanted go in anticipation that when the issue is resolved and the money recovered, it would go into government coffers.
“With the 400 that were sponsored, the state government has successfully cleared the backlog of those who paid and couldn’t go as government had in past two years been assisting them to go,” he explained.
According to him, a total of 1104 intending pilgrims from the State are to travel to the holy land for this year’s Hajj to perform their religious obligation.
It was learnt that each intending pilgrim is to pay the sum of N1.529 million (N1,529,03.80).
He further explained that, out of those that would perform the hajj, some were self sponsored.
The Amirul Hajj said that based on the time table of the National Hajj Commission, the intending pilgrims would tentatively be airlifted on 22nd August, 2017. DAILY POST