THE FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board is to commence the registration of its intending pilgrims for the 2019 hajj exercise on Monday 5th of November, 2018 across the six area councils of the territory.
A statement from the board’s spokesperson, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu said that intending pilgrims who wish to perform the pilgrimage through the Board are to register in maximum of three installments.
Aliyu said, intending pilgrims are expected to present a bank draft of minimum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only payable to the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abuja to book for a seat for the 2019 hajj exercise.
According to Muhammad Lawal Aliyu, prospective intending pilgrims are to deposit an average of five hundred thousand naira monthly from November 2018 to January 2019 to enable them deposit a total of N1,500,000.00 (one million, five hundred thousand naira) by February pending the release of the actual hajj fare by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
He disclosed that, all intending pilgrims must be guaranteed by chief Imam of any of the Area Council or a Traditional Ruler or a Senior Civil Servant of not less than Grade Level 12 as contained in the Guideline for the registration of intending Pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
In addition, according to Muhammad Lawal, female intending Pilgrims would only be registered with their male guide (Muharam) in line with the Saudi Arabian government regulations.
He said that the Board has resolved to register intending pilgrims on first-come first-served basis while first timers would be given priority.
Meanwhile, the Area Councils structure of the board is to be reshuffled to ensure efficiency, proficiency and safeguard against fraud in this year’s hajj exercise.
The Director of the Board, Muhammad Bashir disclosed this at the opening of an in-house training for Area Officers of the board for the registration of the 2019 intending pilgrims.
Muhammad Bashir said the measure became necessary in order to ensure transparency in the registration of the 2019 hajj exercise and ensure that intending pilgrims from the territory get the best service ever in the history of hajj operation in the FCT.
The Director warned staff against corruption and any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Administration as the Board would not condone any act of indiscipline among the staff toward the success of the operation.
He also stressed the need for the staff of the board to ensure prudence in the exercise and charged them to carry out their duty diligently and desist from abuse of office.
He warned them to treat their intending pilgrims with dignity by performing their duty diligently in line with the administration’s desire for excellent service delivery.
Muhammad Bashir reminded them to work harder to improve on the success recorded in the last hajj operation and not to derail from the set rules and regulations of the hajj operation.
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