Ogun Organises Screening Of 2014 Hajj Applicants
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Intending pilgrims to this year’s Hajj exercise from Ogun State have been enjoined to participate in the forthcoming screening exercise organized by the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to ascertain the genuineness of their travel documents and eligibility to be part of the exercise.
In a statement issued in Abeokuta and signed by Kafidipe Qudus, spokesperson for the board, the Executive Secretary, Alh. Sefiu Rasheed urged all intending pilgrims who have paid initial deposit of Five hundred Thousand naira as Hajj fares are expected to come along with their original receipts of payments and “E” passports to the headquarters of the board.
Rasheed added that the 3-day screening exercise, scheduled to take place from May 6 to 8, is to enable the board the opportunity to scrutinize all intending pilgrims religiously, and ensure their immigration documents are up to date with the consent of immigration officials and security agents.
“This will be a follow up to the success recorded during the 2013 Hajj exercise in which the state was adjudged one of the best in terms of organisation by the National Hajj Commission, and that is the reason we have kick start 2014 operations in earnest. The three-day exercise is to ascertain their eligibility to perform the 2013 Hajj exercise, the first step in the build up process of the 2013 Hajj operation”, he stated.
He maintained that Senator Ibikunle Amosun led administration remains committed to the adequate provision of second to none welfare packages for pilgrims from the state, with the aim of retaining the enviable number one position it occupied in the last Hajj exercise.
The Executive Secretary stressed that all intending pilgrims are requested to update their documents, as screening will be conducted for 250 pilgrims for each of the days the exercise will take place, adding that it will be on first come first serve basis.