By NASIRU A. TAHIR
THE passage of a resolution by Kano state House
of Assembly calling on the state government to confer powers on the state
Pilgrims Welfare Board to regulate the activities of travel agents during
Umarah/Hajj operation is a welcome and commendable development.
This resolution has pointed to the unrelenting
effort of the state legislative and executive arms to ensure discipline and
respect for law and order in the conduct of public affairs.
A prominent politician, Alhaji Sadauki Abubakar
who made the remarks in an interview with Daily Triumph on Tuesday,
explained that the move, when complied with, would help in redee-ming the
good of the state and its people.
He stated that as ambassadors of Allah on
earth, especially leaders, �we need to identify problems facing the conduct
of Islamic rituals such as pilgrimage and Umarah with a view to finding
sincere salution to them so as to earn Allah�s blessing.
Alhaji Abubakar therefore commended members of
the state assembly for identifying the constitutional provision as enshrined
in Section 10 subsection (1) Cap 100 of the Kano state Pilgrims Welfare
Board Law of 1977, expressing confidence that the state governor, Malam
Ibrahim Shekarau will bless the resolution as soon as possible.
He, however, observed that by the passage of
the resolution, the state pilgrims board will have more responsibilities to
discharge, pointing out that government needs to further render more support
to the board for it to carry its assigned duties diligently.
The politician described the development as
healthy in view of the determination of the pilgrims board�s Executive
Secretary, Alhaji Sani Lawan Kofar Mata to sanitise the activities of the
board, stressing that the present administration in the state is lucky to
have committed people like the pilgrims board scribe in its team to move the
state forward.
Alhaji Abubakar who expressed optimism on the
ability of the pilgrims board management in general to deliver the goods,
further urged Alhaji Lawan Kofar Mata to maintain his posture of not
condoning any act that may retard the progress of the board in particular
and the state in general.
Meanwhile, the board�s Executive Secretary,
Alhaji Sani Lawan Kofar Mata has advised 2004/2005 intending pilgrims from
the state who are yet to forward their photographs to the board to do so.
In a statement made available to Daily Triumph, the scribe
explained that already work has commenced on passports, pointing out that
the passport will soon be forwarded to the visa house and Central Bank,
warning that any pilgrim who fails to forward his photographs on time should
blame him or herself.
