By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Media Awareness Initiative (MAI-HAJJ), has commended the federal government for appointing Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III as the 2014 Amirul-Hajj and leader of the federal government delegation.
The association, in a statement jointly issued Tuesday, by its National Chairman, Garba Ubale Dambatta and its National Publicity Secretary, Kabiru Yusuf, said the appointment was not only timely, but also worthy, considering the number of innovation, the Sultan has introduced into hajj operations, since his first appointment as Amirul-Hajj in the year 2006.
“It is our view that the combination of Sultan as Amirul-Hajj and the dynamic leadership offered by NAHCON chairman, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, have no doubt helped in reducing the challenges facing Hajj operations and the teaming pilgrims who are mostly from rural areas.
“It was on record that Sultan Sa’ad in past had demonstrated a high sense of patriotism and commitment in Hajj operations in Nigeria, as well as protecting the pilgrims, especially concerning their welfare, and also with regards to in and out-bound flights through his initiative of ‘first come first to return basis’”,
MAI-Hajj recalled that in the past, Sultan Sa’ad also established a good diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, which has gone far in boasting many bilateral relationships in the areas of economy, education, politics and other areas of human development.
The association further urged the Sultan to continue his good work of sanitizing the activities of tour operators, especially those smearing the country’s good name through their nefarious activities, ranging from Saudi visa racketeering, and abandoning of their pilgrims among others.
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