By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured 2024 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia of a hitch-free exercise.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, gave the assurance at a one-day seminar for officials and intending pilgrims, at the permanent Hajj camp, Bassan Jiwa, in Abuja on Saturday.

Mahmoud, who was represented by her Chief of Staff, Dr Abdullahi Isah, said that the administration was proactive in ensuring that all intending pilgrims complied with relevant policies to participate in the spiritual journey.

This, she said, was in spite of the challenges imposed by new policies introduced by Saudi Arabia and relevant authorities for the 2024 exercise.

To achieve this, the minister said that the administration introduced the seminar aimed at educating the officials and intending pilgrims about the possible challenges of the Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

This, according to her, attest to the seriousness of the administration’s desire towards recording more successes in the exercise.

“It is the conviction of the current administration that the pilgrimage to the holy land is a journey of a lifetime which every Muslim with all the means is enjoined to partake.

“The present administration remained committed in doing everything possible to ensure that FCT contingent gets the best treatment compared to any other state of the federation or even the world in all ramifications,” she said.

Mahmoud said that the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board had begun implementation of strategies to actualise the success of this important religious obligation.

She identified some of the strategies as orientation and education of intending pilgrims, radio enlightenment programmes, and medical screening.

Others, according to the minister, are inoculations and other programmes organised to address possible obstacles that may hinder the success of the Hajj operation.

“I am, therefore, convinced that with the commitment of the entire officials, coupled with full-fledged conduct of our intending pilgrims both at home and in the holy land.

“This year’s Hajj operation, in spite of all possible challenges, would by the grace of Allah, be rated higher than the previous ones,” the minister said.

The Director, FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Malam Abubakar Evuti, said that the board had conducted two phases of education and orientation exercises, adding that the radio enlightenment programme would commence after fasting.

Evuti added that the board registered low turnout of intending pilgrims for the 2024 exercise due to the high cost of hajj fares.

He, however, said that the board would continue with its line of activities in accordance with the efforts by the FCT administration.

This, he said, would ensure optimum service delivery, so that the intending pilgrims would attend Hajj Mabrur. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru