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Tag: Saudi Arabia

  • Saudi Arabia: Women can now drive, as Govt overturns historic ban

    Saudi Arabia: Women can now drive, as Govt overturns historic ban

    • Pushes for more women in the workfore, platforms for youths

    The Government of Saudi Arabia will from next June allow women to drive.

    This was contained in a statement by the state media on Tuesday, making the country,the last country to allow women drive.

    This decision which effectively risks riling religious conservatives and comes as part of the government’s major reform drive, conceived by powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    “The royal decree will implement the provisions of traffic regulations, including the issuance of driving licences for men and women alike,” the Saudi Press Agency said.

    It added that authorities are aiming to have the necessary arrangements in place by June 2018.A saudi woman seen driving

    As news of the decision,filtered out, scores of people of both sexes, took to the street, dancing and generally celebrating the announcement.

    Also as part of the reforms,Women would also be allowed into sports stadium, to watch a musical concert, thus creating plans in tandem with its “Vision 2030” plan for social and economic reform.

    The country has more than half the country aged under 25, thus making Prince Mohammed, the architect of Vision 2030, provide platforms of entertainment options for the youth and promoting more women in the workforce.

     

    Culled from i24news

  • 5,286 pilgrims from Kaduna return home

    5,286 pilgrims from Kaduna return home

    The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Board has said that a total of 5,286  pilgrims have so far been transported back home in 10 flights since the end of the hajj.

    The Public Relations Officer of the board, Malam Yunusa Abdullahi, stated this in an interview with the  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

    Abdullahi said that a Med-view flight carrying the 12th batch with 449 pilgrims on board, landed at the State International Airport early on Monday morning.

    “Med-view Airline is allotted 2,776 pilgrims from the state to be transported back home,’’ he said.

    He said Max – Airline had already completed the transportation of the  3,937 pilgrims allotted to it back home.

    Abdullahi added that only 1,427 pilgrims were still in Saudi Arabia out of the 6,713 pilgrims that performed hajj from Kaduna State this year.

    The airlifting of Kaduna pilgrims back home is expected to end this week.

  • ‘NAHCON begins preparations for 2018 hajj’

    ‘NAHCON begins preparations for 2018 hajj’

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON ) says it has commenced preparation for the 2018 Hajj.

    The Executive Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad made the disclosure at an interactive session and dinner with members of the 2017 Hajj Media Team on Thursday in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    Muhammad said that the commission had already sent a team, headed by the Consul General, to negotiate price of accommodation in Madinah to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims are lodged close to the Prophet Mosque.

    “To this end, the Commission has sent a delegation to Madina to prepare ground for the negotiation of a comprehensive package for pilgrims coming for the hajj next year and their stay in the holy city of Madina.”

    He said the commission and State Pilgrims Welfare Boards have also  started mapping out strategies and modalities to have a unified accommodation system in both Makkah and Madinah next year.

    The Chairman further stated that from next Hajj, the Commission would work to simplify information gathering, sharing and dissemination amongst the states and the National Media Team.

    The NAHCON boss thanked members of the Media Team for the way they carried out their assignment and urged the members to continue to verify the veracity of any information before going to press.

    He said that the ongoing transportation of pilgrims back home had been going on smoothly without any hitch so far, adding that no fewer than 14,000 pilgrims had been transported back to Nigeria.

    He implored all Nigerians to fervently pray for the country to overcome its present trying period and a resounding good health and wisdom for leaders, particularly President Muhammadu Bihari.

    Responding, the Chairman of the Media Team, Alhaji Ubale Musa commended NAHCON for its foresight in forming the Media Team to cover the just concluded exercise.

    Musa said that the inclusion  of competent journalists in the team had ensured adequate dissemination of information on the conduct exercise.

  • NAHCON begins preparations for 2018 hajj- Chairman

    NAHCON begins preparations for 2018 hajj- Chairman

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria(NAHCON) says it has commenced preparation for the 2018 Hajj.

    The Executive Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad made the disclosure at an interactive session and dinner with members of the 2017 Hajj Media Team on Thursday in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    Muhammad said that the commission had already sent a team, headed by the Consul General, to negotiate price of accommodation in Madinah to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims are lodged close to the  Prophet Mosque.

    ” To this end, the Commission has sent a delegation to Madina to prepare ground for the negotiation of a comprehensive package for pilgrims coming for the hajj next year and their stay in the holy city of Madina.”

    He said the commission and State Pilgrims Welfare Boards have also  started mapping out strategies and modalities to have a unified accommodation system in both Makkah and Madinah next year.

    The Chairman further stated that from next Hajj, the Commission would work to simplify information gathering, sharing and dissemination amongst the states and the National Media Team.

    The NAHCON boss thanked members of the Media Team for the way they carried out their assignment and urged the members to continue to verify the veracity of any information before going to press.

    He said that the ongoing transportation of pilgrims back home had been going on smoothly without any hitch so far, adding that no fewer than 14,000 pilgrims had been transported back to Nigeria.

    He implored all Nigerians to fervently pray for the country to overcome its present trying period and a resounding good health and wisdom for leaders, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Responding, the Chairman of the Media Team, Alhaji Ubale Musa commended NAHCON for its foresight in forming the Media Team to cover the just concluded exercise.

    Musa said that the inclusion  of competent journalists in the team had ensured adequate dissemination of information on the conduct exercise.

  • NAHCON advocates global discussion on hajj quota

    NAHCON advocates global discussion on hajj quota

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON ) has advocated global discussion on hajj quota to ensure effective utilisation of facilities in Muna and Arafat.

    The Executive Chairman, NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, made the call during the 2017 post Arafat meeting with stakeholders in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    Read also: Hajj : No state can surpass Lagos, says NAHCON

    Muhammad said the call became necessary because of the challenges experienced during core hajj activities in Muna and Arafat.

    He stressed the need for all hajj participants to come together to address the challenges and proffer a lasting solution.

    The NAHCON boss, who commended the Saudi Authority for organising excellent Hajj, also applauded the Nigerian pilgrims for exhibiting good behaviour before, during and after hajj rites.

    He promised to take action against Tour Operators, who abandoned their pilgrims in Makkah and Madina, adding that the commission would not do everything possible to ensure a successful Hajj.

    He expressed sadness over the demised of 14 Nigerian pilgrims, including the Legal Adviser of the commission and pray to Allah to grant them eternal rest.

    Muhammad disclosed that arrangement had been concluded to commence transportation of pilgrims back to Nigeria.

    He added that Gombe, FCT and Ogun pilgrims would be first to be transported on Sept. 7.

    The Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah, Amb Muhammad Yunusa, who said that no Nigerian pilgrims was arrested with any drugs, commended NAHCON for ensuring sustain campaign against drugs trafficking.

    Yunusa called on states’ Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Agencies to educate their drivers on road traffic regulations to avoid road traffic violation.

    The Secretary of NAHCON, Dr Bello Tambuwal, announced that the Saudi Authority had given 20, 000 Saudi Riyals to two Nigerian pilgrims that were manhandled by its security agent.

    He explained that the money had since been delivered to the beneficiaries.

  • Gov. releases N11m to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

    Gov. releases N11m to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

    In the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir, Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, has released N11 million to the pilgrims from the state in Saudi Arabia for Sallah.

    The spokesman for the hajj team, Mr Jibrin Gwamna, made this disclosure in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Lafia on Monday.

    The statement, issued on behalf of the Amirul Hajj of the state 2017 Muslim Pilgrims, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahahi, expressed the gratitude of the state pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to the governor for the gesture.

    It reads in part: “We are grateful, as the gesture has improved on our standard of living and we shall continue to pray for the success of his administration in order to enjoy more dividends of democracy”.

    Balarabe-Abdullahahi said the pilgrims would continue to pray for the peace and unity of the nation, President Muhammad Buhari, Gov. Al-Makura and other leaders to enable them succeed in the tasks ahead of them.

    He also said the process of transporting the state pilgrims back to Nigeria had begun and thanked the state hajj team and the pilgrims for their support, prayers and understanding throughout the period of the spiritual exercise.

    The statement enjoined all Nigerians to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.

    According to it, peace is priceless and therefore, it is the necessary requirement for the development of any society.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 1,160 Nasarawa State Muslim pilgrims are performing the 2017 hajj in Saudi Arabia.

  • Sallah: Katsina donates N147.9m to pilgrims

    Sallah: Katsina donates N147.9m to pilgrims

    The Katsina State Government has announced donation of N147.9 million equivalent to SRA1.5 million (Saudi Riyals) to its 4,930 pilgrims as ‘Sallah gift’ during the 2017 hajj.

    Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, the Amirul-Hajj and leader of the state government delegation to Saudi Arabia for hajj, disclosed this on Saturday while addressing the pilgrims.

    He said that each pilgrim would be given SRA 300.

    Mannir, who is also the state Deputy Governor, said that the gesture was in recognition of the pilgrims’ good behavior in the Holy land.

    He further urged the pilgrims to keep up the good efforts of positively portraying the image of the state and the country in the Holy land.

    ‘’We appreciate the good behavior exhibited by our pilgrims in the Holy land, in fact, the Saudi Arabia authority has named Nigerians as the most law abiding pilgrims during this year’s hajj, which is a welcome development,’’ he said.

    He also urged the pilgrims to continue to pray to Allah to grant Nigeria peace, unity and development.

    Mannir also prayed to Allah to accept their hajj and return them home safely.

  • Sustain prevailing peace in Gombe – Dankwambo appeals

    Sustain prevailing peace in Gombe – Dankwambo appeals

    Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has appealed to traditional and religious leaders, and entire people of the state to sustain the prevailing peace being enjoyed in the state.

    Dankwambo spoke on Friday in Gombe, during a sallah reception at Government House, shortly after he returned from the Eid praying ground.

    “Peace is the prerequisite for the socio-economic development of our dear state and the country at large, hence the need to sustain it.

    “Shun act capable of disrupting our peaceful co-existence, I assure you government will not abandon its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property,” he said.

    He expressed his appreciation to the people for supporting his administration to implement viable policies and programmes aimed at improving the living standard of the people.

    “Let me reassure the good people of Gombe State that we will not rest on our oars in providing socio-economic infrastructure for the transformation of our dear state,” he said.

    The governor also urged the people to pray for safe return of Nigerians who were in Saudi Arabia on holy pilgrimage.

  • Saudi Arabia hails Nigeria’s Hajj operations

    •Death toll hits seven

    Saudi Arabia has voted Nigeria’s hajj operations as one of the best in this pilgrimage.

    The commendation is coming just as the country has been ranked second after Pakistan in the area of its health management.

    Confirming this development, the Commissioner in Charge of Health, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Dr. Ibrahim Kana, who spoke with some reporters in Arafat, said the achievement was one of the reasons the Saudi Health Ministry cited in the award of certificate of merit and commendation to the commission.

    According to the commissioner, Nigeria made an impression on the Saudi authorities based on the comprehensive, orderly manner and centralisation of health matters introduced this year by NAHCON,  as against disarray manner of the past years.

    He said the Saudi Health Ministry has invited him to a meeting scheduled for next week to see how Nigeria’s experience will assist in the realisation of the Kingdom’s plan of computerising pilgrims health and medical matters while on Hajj or Umrah.

    Kana maintained that NAHCON would ensure proper and comprehensive health services delivery to pilgrims.

    Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board became the first in Africa and second to India to computerise hajj affairs when the Chairman of NAHCON, Abdullah Muhammad Mukhtar, was the Executive Secretary of the board.

    On the number deceased Nigerians, the NAHCON boss said the death toll so far is seven in all.

    NAHCON has established a dedicated helpline for Nigerian pilgrims in need of emergency respond care as follows: 92008251.

    Mukhtar enjoined pilgrims to make use of the helpline as it is been manned by NAHCON officials for 24 hours.

  • Hajj: Sokoto pilgrims return USD900, N7,450 lost by fellow faithful

    Hajj: Sokoto pilgrims return USD900, N7,450 lost by fellow faithful

    Two Pilgrims from Sokoto State have returned 900 US Dollars, N7,450 and 290 Saudi Riyals lost by a fellow pilgrim in Saudi Arabia.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was the second time pilgrims from the state returned money which they found, to the state Pilgrims officials.

    A pilgrim from the state, Alhaji Nuradeen Imam, who was confirmed to be the owner, had since collected the money.

    One of the pilgrims, Adamu Kabiru, said they found the money on Tuesday at the hotel accommodating Sokoto State pilgrims in the Masfalah District of Makkah.

    Dr Aliyu Sani Sagir, Secretary, Preaching Committee of the State’s Pilgrims Welfare Agency, said the action of the two pilgrims was worthy of emulation.

    Two other pilgrims had last week returned 700 US Dollars, 15,000 CFA Francs and some Nigerian Currency, also lost by fellow pilgrim.