Niger govt bans sponsorship of pilgrims to Mecca

By Wole Mosadomi
Minna—Niger State Government, yesterday, placed embargo on the
sponsorship of pilgrims to Mecca, even as it advised intending
pilgrims against stealing or borrowing money for the exercise.
Similarly, the government directed thestate pilgrim Board to allocate
90 per cent of the available seats for freshers.
Speaking at the flag off of sale of grainsto members of the public in
Minna ahead of the Ramadan fasting governor Babangida Aliyu, said the
step became necessary because of the number of seats allocated to the
state for this year hajj.
He insisted that holy pilgrimage to Mecca should not be seen as a
jamboree but as a religious obligation,saying "Already the Customs and
Immigrations have been directed to screen the passports of all
intending pilgrimage to screen out those who have performed the
journey in the past and allow the first timers to go and where
necessary introduce balloting for all intending pilgrim to give room
for fairness and equity."
He warned local government chairmenin the state not to bribe
traditional rulers and politicians with hajj seat at the detriment of
freshers, who had no god fathers to lobby for them.
On the sale of the grains to the public, the governor said it was a
deliberate attempt to make it coincide with the Ramadan season to
allow the poor purchase food items at a cheaper rate, nothing that it
had been observed thatprices of food stuff usually went up during
festivities.
To this end, he said 10,000 tonnes of assorted grains had been
purchased at over N25million and would be sold to the less privileged
at subsidised rates.
According to him, 25kg of rice would besold for N3,500 as against
N5,000, 100kg of maize would be sold for N5,600, 100kg of beans would
be sold for N14,000, 100kg of millet for N7,000, while Guinea corn
would cost N6,300,.