From Yakubu Busari,Jos
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau state has facilitated a N2 billion bank loan for the state chapter of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare’s Board to meet up with the February 19, deadline by the National Hajj Commission for registration of Pilgrims.
The governor came to the rescue of the poor Board following the refund of the sum of N155 million to 150 Pilgrims, who were swindled last year.
The said N155 million was declared missing and the governor had to direct that the victims be paid before he could support the Board to obtain the N2 billion bank loan.
The Executive Secretary of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Daiyabu Dauda made this disclosure during a courtesy call by the Radio Television, Theater and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria, RATTAWU, at the Pilgrims Secretariat in Jos.
Dauda disclosed that “Governor Caleb considered the plight of 2023 intending Hajj members who could not travel due to the fact that their money was diverted and declared missing from the Hajj account and as a listening governor he ordered that each of them that suffered the injustice be refunded.”
Dauda said, “On my assumption of office ,we had so many challenges but we thank him for his intervention because in 2023 some Pilgrims went for Hajj and some did not go and their money was not found in the account of the Board. With the intervention of the governor those who could not go have been paid to the tune of N155 million naira.”
He stressed that Monday, the 19th February, 2024 the National Hajj Commission had to close remittances of money from the states based on the directive from the Saudi Arabia government .
He reiterated that so many states have not exhausted their slots and based on the governor’s directive, which, ” asked us to collect N2 billion loan from the bank which we have remitted and today, (Monday) secured about 1,345 seats for this year’s Hajj.”
Meanwhile, Dauda appreciated the Radio Television Theatre Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Plateau State Chapter led by Comrade Emmanuel Dolnaan who visited him at the Pilgrims Board headquarters to congratulate him on his new appointment .
Dauda urged the media practitioners to partner with the Board on balance reportage in term of the numerous activities being undertaken to project their activities in good light .
According to him ,” we are always desirous to partner with you people because whatever we are doing here can get to our people courtesy of you people.”
” You are always welcome here to this office and I always invite you to come and partner with us for our activities so that the world should know it .As a council ,we have most of your colleagues here in the same office and some from NTA and PRTVC as we are always working together and we learn to achieve positive impact.”
The RATTAWU Chairman Emmanuel said they were in the executive secretary office to congratulate him and complement the effort of his good gesture in accommodating all manner of people .
He described the Executive Secretary, Daiyabu Dauda as a committed leader and a man of integrity full of mission and vision to promote peaceful co-existence amongst the ethnic and religious groups .
“My encounters with you sir, since when I was covering the state assembly, I know you to be an open person. Anytime we placed a call you were always ready to answer.”
As Media practitioners that like to partner with you and collaborate with you to promote the affairs of the board, so our doors are open for partnership towards achieving meaningful development ,he noted .
