The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it will commence early preparations for 2024 Hajj operation for FCT contingent to enjoy a hitch-free exercise.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Olusade Adesola, dropped this hint while receiving Report of the FCT Ministerial Team on 2023 (1444 A.H) Muslim Pilgrimage (HAJJ) Exercise from its Chairman, Mallam Bashir Muhammad, in his office.
The Permanent Secretary said that early arrangements will go a long way in reducing some of the hitches experienced during the previous exercise.
Adesola lauded the contributions of the Ministerial Team to the success of the 2023 spiritual exercise and the report turned in; saying it will serve as a guide for subsequent exercises.
His words: “On behalf of the FCT Management, I appreciate your selfless sacrifice during this Hajj operation. There were many situations that stretched our capacity, but your intervention helped us to successfully manage the situation.
“When the arrangements were not synchronized last year, there were a lot of challenges, but when we put your Team in place for support, we saw the success we achieved and interestingly, the pilgrims appreciated your efforts,” he noted.
According to him, “The Director of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board returned with the last batch and briefed me on what transpired there and expressed support for the services that you rendered. My greatest joy is that under me, you (Director, Human Resource Management) led this delegation, and you are obviously leaving good footprints for us.”
Adesola specifically thanked the Director of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mallam Abubakar Adamu Evuti, for his corporation and dynamism.
He remarked that the FCT Administration will look into the report and the recommendations therein and forward a memo to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the issues that are under his purview that may be critically considered.
The Permanent Secretary restated that one of the issues that may be highlighted in the memo will be consideration of an Air carrier with capacity for FCT contingent in the subsequent Hajj operations.
Arising from this success story, the Permanent Secretary revealed that the FCT Administration has also constituted a similar Ministerial Team for the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board to ensure hitch-free Christian pilgrimage exercise in Israel.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Ministerial Team, Mallam Bashir Muhammad, recalled that the 5-Member Team was constituted to assist the Board carry out smooth 2023 hajj operation.
The Chairman said that upon the inauguration, the team swung into action by confronting the challenges the Board had, and the Permanent Secretary’s intervention with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) proved impactful.
Muhammad reiterated that the report contained the entire exercise, from onshore to offshore, including all activities, ranging from the intending pilgrims’ orientation to the last batch of airlift of the pilgrims back to Nigeria.
The report encompasses activities surrounding “arrival in medina, activities in medina and the movement of pilgrims to Mecca. Also our activities in Mecca, our activities in the holy place are all detailed in the report. They have been summarily written for your perusal,” the Chairman emphasized.
Corroborating the Permanent Secretary, Muhammad also commended the Director, MPWB, Abubakar Evuti for a successful hajj exercise, and made recommendations on the need for improving activities of the Board, including intervention with the National Hajj Commission, to assist in the operations of the Board, particularly in the areas of allocation to the FCT by the federal vote and processing of travel documents.
