By Nefishetu Yakubu
The Chairman, Edo Pilgrims Welfare Board, Ibrahim Oyarekhua, has expressed worry over the slow payment of Hajj fare for the 2024 pilgrimage in the state.
Oyarekhua said this on Thursday during an interactive session with newsmen in Benin.
He said that the Hajj fare still remained N4.5 million and December 30 as the payment deadline.
He said that the state may not exhaust the 430 slots allocated to it by the National Haji Commission of Nigeria.
“The patronage for this year’s pilgrimage is not encouraging.
“This is not peculiar to Edo but across the country.
“At the moment, less than 100 people have paid and I am not sure we would get the number before December 30 deadline.
“But we are hoping that by the December deadline, we would have up to 200 intending pilgrims going for the Hajj because there is nothing impossible with God.
“We are appealing to those who want to pay by themselves and others who want to sponsor their loved ones to hasten up to meet the deadline,” Oyarekhua said.
He, however, assured that the board would do its best to ensure that Hajj fare would not go beyond the minimum deposit announced by the commission.
NAN
