NUJ Pledges Partnership with Taraba Pilgrims Welfare Board to Enhance Hajj Publicity.
By Christiana Babayo.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Taraba State Council, has pledged to partner with the Taraba State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in strengthening publicity around Hajj activities.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Board, NUJ Chairman, Comrade Matthew Eliud Jen, commended the Executive Secretary of the Board, Abubakar Usman Tanko, for the strides recorded in managing Hajj operations in the state.
He sued for collaboration with the Board in order to enhance information dissemination and a good working relationship between the media and the Pilgrim Board.
“We have come to identify with your activities, your ordeals, and your efforts so that we can forge a partnership that will stand the test of time. This collaboration will be mutually beneficial and will surely grow to yield positive results for both the union and this Board” Jen said.
Responding, the Executive Secretary, Tanko, stressed that no activity is complete without adequate publicity.
He lamented what he described as the under-reporting of the Board’s activities, particularly during the annual Hajj, and assured that the Board would henceforth engage the media on a sustainable basis.
He appealed to journalists for balanced reporting, noting that the Board is charged with the registration of pilgrims, procurement of visas, and travel documents, which require wider publicity to reach all intending pilgrims.
Addressing newsmen after the visit, the Executive Secretary disclosed that the Board had embarked on a statewide sensitization tour across the three senatorial zones to enlighten intending pilgrims on the new registration process and preparations for the 2025 Hajj.
According to him, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has allocated 912 seats to Taraba State for the 2025 Hajj, with each slot tentatively pegged at ₦8.5 million.
He added that a minimum of 50 percent of the fare must be paid by October 8 to secure a seat.
The ES explained that registration would close by November, earlier than previous years, to allow adequate time for visa processing and other travel arrangements. He urged intending pilgrims to pay their Hajj fares promptly to avoid missing out.
Tanko commended traditional rulers and community leaders across the state for their warm reception during the sensitization exercise, which he said had yielded fruitful deliberations with the Muslim faithful.
