The Former Executive Secretary, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare’s Board , Barr. Auwal Abdullahi has debunked alleged missing #155,000,000.00 that it was ignorance or mischief to assert were government there is no approvals for all those spendings by the state governments, and PV’s/Receipt to that effect is available.
Barr. Awal Abdullahi while reacting to media publication from national dailies frowned upon a purported report credited to the Executive Secretary, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare’s Board, Alh. Hon. Daiyabu Dauda says, “My attention as the immediate past Executive Secretary of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Plateau State was drawn to a statement purported to be from the current Executive Secretary of the Muslim Pilgrims Board Alhaji Dayyabu Dauda to the effect that the Sum of N155,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Five Million Naira Only) was missing the money he said according to the source belongs to about 150 (One Hundred and Fifty Intending Pilgrims) to put the record straight, there was never a missing fund and/or misappropriation.
“The money in question i.e N155,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Five Million Naira Only) is the breakdown as follows: First pre-hajj visit to Saudi Arabia for the year 2023 for three people i.e Executive Secretary, the Board Chairman and Director Finance of the board.
Second pre-hajj visit to Saudi Arabia for the second quarter of 2023, it also comprised 3 people i.e the Executive Secretary, the Board Chairman and Director of Admin.
The salary of Ad-hoc staff of the board numbering six (6) for the whole year
2023.
All expenses for the day to day running of the board, these include but not restricted to all utilities (fueling of office vehicles, fueling of generator, electric bill, stationaries, data and other accessories of the ICT room etc”.
Estacode and complete Hajj fare of 10 state Government officials that accompanied the over 1400 (One Thousand Four Hundred) pilgrims for the performance of Hajj operation 2023.
The operational cost of the whole 2023 Hajj operations both onshore and offshore i.e both in Nigeria and at Saudi Arabia. Other incidental expenses etc.
Based on the above breakdown, it is instructive to know that the board (Muslim Pilgrims Board) does not receive a running cost or an impress from the state coffer, the tradition therefore is for the board to use whatever legitimate way to fund its activities pending when the state Government would approve its final memo to make up for all the expenditures incurred.
The N155,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty-Five Million Naira Only) was used for all the above-mentioned expenditures because there were approvals for all those spendings by the state governments, and PV’s/Receipt to that effect is available.
The Plateau State Hajj Contingents (2023 Pilgrims) for the first time in almost 30 years were granted a slot to be airlifted ahead of any other state, because of the hiccups of 2022 (as a way of compensation), it was this concession granted by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that necessitated the airlift of the One Thousand Four Hundred (1400) pilgrims in Back to Back manner from the 26th, 27th and 28th days of May 2023.
Because of the above reasons, coupled with the fact that there was a transition from the immediate past to the current administration, there was no release as per the approvals of the Hajj general memo.
It is on record that the whole operation was without a single dime or release instead of dampening our spirit, we decided to improvised thus; the management and officials of the board decided to cancel all the Government Sponsored pilgrims and decided to concentrate only on the self-sponsored pilgrims numbering One Thousand Four Hundred (1400), but there was no way these number of pilgrims could go on pilgrimage without the proper guidance and supervision of State Officials also in order to save the Plateau State Government from embarrassment, Ten (10) officials were sponsored to oversee the activities of the 2023 pilgrims, the sponsorship was considered judiciously and judicially, because according to the approved memo, there were well over Sixty-five (65) operational staff.
Even at that, the Estacode of the Ten (10) officials was drastically reduced to reflect financial discipline and prudence. Instead of the estacode of 42 days spent in the Holy land, only the estacode of 20 (Twenty) days was given to each of the 10 officials.
Among the officials were prominent sons of Plateau such as His Royal Highness the Longja of Namu as the “Amirul Hajj” and the board Chairman who is a respected retired justice of the Sharia Court and all the directors of the board, all these prominent sons of Plateau accompanied the over 1400 pilgrims to a successful Hajj operation in 2023.
It therefore, behaves of ignorance or mischief to assert that N155,000,000.00 was missing.
The immediate past officials of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board Plateau State under the able leadership of Barr. Auwal Abdullahi are not however infallible but they have tried their best in discharging their responsibilities.
Finally, the Executive Governor of Plateau State His Excellency Barr. Caleb Mutfwang deserves commendation because he has demonstrated a sense of responsibility by paying the said sum which constitutes part of the approved Hajj memo 2023 as did his predecessor His Excellency Simon Lalong in 2015 and 2018 respectively.
Source: Global News OnlineMagazine
