Hajj: Pilgrims may encounter shortage of accommodations – Welfare Board
Abdul Mohammed Isa, Niger State
The Executive Secretary, Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Umar Makun Lapai, said intending pilgrims from Nigeria and other parts of the world might encounter accommodation challenges during the 2023 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.
Makun Lapai, who was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for early preparations of the 2023 Hajj exercise stated this in a statement by his spokesperson Hassan Idris.
He said over 60 percent of accommodation, used by pilgrims during the last year’s Hajj exercise have been demolished or marked for demolition to give way for new structures.
Service providers according to Makun have hiked the cost of their houses as most of the hotels used in 2022 have already been demolished.
He said over 3.7 Million intending pilgrims are expected to perform the 2023 Hajj exercise globally as against 1 Million Pilgrims in 2022.
The executive secretary who urged intending pilgrims from the state to speed up their registration for the 2023 Hajj exercise, said the Board can only secure accommodations for the number of intending pilgrims that registered on time.
PIAK
