25th July, 2018
The Kogi Hajj Commission has introduced meal tickets for its 456 pilgrims currently in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, to ensure proper feeding arrangements and their comfort in the Holy land.
The Secretary of the Commission, Alhaji Hussein Obadaki, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Madinah.
The ticketing system followed complaints by some pilgrims of not getting their ration of meals served in the hotel, leading to the discovery that some others had been consuming double rations at the expense of others.
The secretary said the ticketing system would checkmate such practice and curtail shortages, adding that by all standards, the meals being supplied by the authorities were adequate to feed all the pilgrims.
He commended the Madinah officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for their “seamless and wonderful arrangements” for the feeding, accommodation and provision of other facilities for the pilgrimage.
He said the Kogi commission was satisfied with the arrangements, “unlike last year when we had challenges during the Hajj operation”.
Obadaki also commended the pilgrims for exhibiting “good attitude” since their arrival from Nigeria on Friday.
Meanwhile, a cross section of the pilgrims told NAN that they were comfortable with arrangements made by NAHCON for their welfare, especially the proximity of their hotel location to the Holy Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
Khadijat Gambo, one of the female pilgrims, said it took pilgrims barely five minutes to walk from the hotel to worship at the mosque, adding “this is the best arrangement for me because that is why I am here”.
Another pilgrim, Falilat Ayuba, hsiled the Kogi government and its Hajj officials for providing basic necessities for pilgrims’ welfare.
“No cause for alarm; we are comfortable and at home because things are moving smoothly here, we are simply grateful to Allah our creator, ” she said.
For Halima Jimoh, “You can see that we are all happy here. The facilities we need like water are all provided so there is no complaint so far”.
A NAN correspondent who inspected facilies at their disposal reported that the hotel was furnished with between three and four pilgrims paired per room, while the air conditioners, toilet facilities and television sets were functional.