No Plateau Intending Pilgrims Are Stranded As Reported By Blueprint The Report Is Incomplete, Misleading says Plateau State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.

By Sourcenews24.

The Plateau State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has described a recent report by Blue Print Online suggesting that Plateau intending Pilgrims were stranded as not only incomplete but misleading.

In a statement issued by the Information Officer of the Board Yasir Isma’il Yahaya on Saturday 13th April 2024, the Board made certain clarifications, adding that the Board is journalist friendly, while expecting and balance reports before, during and after the Hajj exercise of the year.

The statement further reads “Before we address the three issues raised in that report. It would be recalled that as part of it determination to to organize a hitch free Hajj Operations inline with the Directives of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, many intending pilgrims were not able to pay the initial Hajj deposit of 4,699,000 million upto the dateline given by the national Hajj Commission NAHCON, but the governor in his wisdom as a father approved loan of two billion naira for the board to secured the State quota which Alhamdulillah was a success because we were able to pay for the 1,345 seats allocated to the state to but, unfortunately, the issue of increased came up and despite all odds the Board was also able to pay for 1,235 seats to allow our intending pilgrim to pay at ease even after Closure by the national Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON)”

“As you are aware the National Hajj commission of Nigeria NAHCON gave four days for all intending pilgrims to add up the 1.918m to the initial Hajj deposit of 6, 699, 000 naira, but due to the commitment of the Plateau State Governor he directed that the Board Should pay that balance to secure the seats for all our intending pilgrims and give them more time to add up. The Board has mame several announcements on both TV and Radio for all intending pilgrims to take advantage of this effort an pay the Balance, only last week the Board announced the closure of sales and completion of Hajj fare and even the reporter can attest to the fact that there is a notice as pasted at the Board.”

The statement noted few challenges with payments but stressed the readiness of the board in addressing them.
“Even if you made the payment in time, you have to wait for the account department to confirm that the money is in the Board account because of challenges experience these days with network. That is to say if the intending pilgrim as quoted in the report has made his payment before the closing date and is confirmed, insha Allah definitely he will be given the required attention.
For those who came to the Board with cash as at the time he files in this report, honestly they have missed the chance according to the directives by NAHCON as regard to 2024 Hajj.”

“As National Hajj commission of Nigeria has since announced the number of Pilgrims from Plateau State that completed their Hajj fare to 6, 617, 032,91k.”

“However, since assumption of office the Executive Governor of Plateau State Barrister Caleb Mutfwang has demonstrated his political will in supporting religious activities without bias or any preferential treatment. The Governor cleared the backlog of Pilgrims’ deposit to enable them perform the hajj while effort was being made to recover it from those who squandered it.”

“While thanking the intending pilgrims and the public for their support and cooperation. We assured you that the board doors are always open to any stakeholder that wants to contribute his/her own quota for a hitch free Hajj exercise 2024 insha Allah.”

The statement tasked the Blue Print reporter on objectivity and fairness.
“The Board wishes to seize this opportunity to advise the Blueprint reporter to be objective and fair in disseminating information to the public, more so that the current Executive Secretary carries out his duties with decorum.”