2019 Hajj : Gov. Ayade Receives Cross River Pilgrims From Saudi Arabia, Assures Of More Sponsors

Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade has received the 42 sponsored pilgrims by the State government back from Saudi Arabia after the 32 days  Hajj exercise.

The pilgrims who were among the last set of South South,South East  Contingent to depart the King Abdulazeez  International Airport, Jeddah landed at the Port Harcourt International Airport in the hand of Hajj Official.

 Speaking with newsmen in Calabar after their arrival,Governor Ayade, while welcoming the pilgrims back to the state , reaffirmed his administration’s commitment towards fulfilling its campaign promises of Industrializing the state and keep unemployed youths out of the streets.

"I have made it mandatory to sponsor   more pilgrims to the annual pilgrimage as your Governor every year, this is because the  prayers you have being  offering for the state and country are answered.

"I'm assuring that all the people of Cross River State, irrespective of religion, ethnic or races will be carried along in my government  with the sole aim at improving the lives of all.

The governor represented by his special Adviser on Religious Matters,Rev.Father Bob Etta calledon the Muslim Community people to continue to support his administration in its quest to take the state to greater height.

He commended the pilgrims for making the state proud every year, even as he acknowledged the Official licenced given to the state  by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NACHON,the first in the South South ,South East Region.

In his Remarks,the Chairman of the Cross River State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Hassan Tanimu ,said the contingent went to the Holy Land as a group and came back as a group without any record of  death or Chronic sickness.

Tanimu informed the Governor that that the state pilgrims were outstanding for their orderliness in all the assigned destinations in the holy lands.

"We refrained from acts that could tarnish the image of our State in particular and country at large.

"We also use the opportunity of our presence in the holy land to pray for our dear state,Cross River,the Governor and his families and the entire people of the state and Nigeria at large"he said.