KANO PILGRIMS BOARD DROPS 16 PREGNANT WOMEN FROM 2016 HAJJ

The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board said it dropped 16 pregnant women from the list of intending pilgrims to Mecca.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Abba Yakubu, who disclosed this in Kano on Thursday, said the women were dropped during the screening of the intending pilgrims.
He said the pregnant women had however been replaced with other women nominated by them (pregnant women).
Mr. Yakubu said similar stringent measures were taken by the Board against women carrying pregnancy and other health challenges during the last hajj.
He said the pregnant women dropped during the screening for the 2016 hajj pleaded with the Board to reserve their seats for next year’s hajj, adding that it obliged them.
The executive secretary attributed the delay in commencing the airlift of the 5000 pilgrims from the state as scheduled for between Thursday and Friday to non-availability of the Basic Travelling Allowance, which was delayed by the banks.
Mr. Yakubu said the Board would ensure that the BTA was ready to forestall pilgrims going through hardship in the Holy Land.
He said he had informed the pilgrims about the BTA challenge, which was why the airlines were requested to suspend the commencement of the airlifting for only 24 hours. He said the airlifting would begin after the Juma’at prayers on Friday.

The secretary disclosed that the Kano State government had subsidised the accommodation of all the pilgrims with N367 million because the $4000 accommodation to be paid by each pilgrim fee was not enough.
Mr. Yakubu said the accommodation the board acquired so far for the pilgrims from the state was very good because the Governor Abdullahi Ganduje administration meant well for the pilgrims.
He also said the board would send 13 medical personnel to accompany the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.