The Lagos State Government has given assurances that COVID-19 vaccine will be administered on every Intending Pilgrim from the State before embarking on the Y2021 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, gave the assurance on Thursday while delivering his opening remarks at a training programme organised by the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for Schedule Officers, Ulamah and Hajj Guides at the Shamsi Adisa Thomas (SAT) Mosque Hall, GRA, Ikeja.

He emphasised that the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, would do everything possible to ensure that each of the intending pilgrims is vaccinated despite the fact that the number of vaccines given to the State by the Federal Government is inadequate for the population.

Speaking further on the theme of the workshop “Way Forward for Year 2021 Hajj Operation and Preparation”, Elegushi urged the participants to see their appointment as Schedule Officers, Ulamah and Hajj Guides as a call to the service of Allah and trust for which they would be held accountable by God on the day of judgement.

He urged them to be good ambassadors of the State and carry out their assignments to the best of their ability, noting that the participants are faced with a very sensitive assignment of seeing to the welfare of the intending pilgrims both in Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

While calling for synergy and harmonious working relationship between the participants, he reiterated that the training became imperative because the State is not ready to jeopardise its enviable position as the best in Nigeria when it comes to Hajj operations, adding that only teamwork and commitment to efficient and effective service delivery to the intending pilgrims would sustain the State’s leadership position.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. Rahman Ishola, expressed his appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat for their unflinching support to the Board.

He added that with their support, the Board is poised to successfully implement the administration’s policy of providing seamless Hajj experience for all its intending pilgrims irrespective of tribe, class and educational background.

Facilitators at the well-attended training programme included the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Islamic Matters, Mr. Jebe-Abdullai Ahmad who gave a lecture on the topic ‘Relationship between the Schedule Officers, Ulamah and Intending Pilgrims’.

Others are Dr. Mutiu Olakunle Afariogun, a Consultant Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), who presented a paper on ‘How to Manage Stress’ and Mr. Awe Jamiu, a Chief Administrative and Human Resource officer with the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency who presented a paper on ‘Hajj Overview’.