The Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board has concluded plans to commence the airlift of intending pilgrims next week from the State.

Alhaji Suleiman Nuhu Kuki, the Executive Director of the Board disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting held at the board's headquarters in Katsina on Wednesday.

According to him, the expected date for the commencement of 2022 Hajj airlift exercise from Katsina state is slated for Thursday, 16th June, 2022.

Kuki said to achieve a hitch free Hajj operation, the Board has completed the registration exercise, except for the stakeholders allocation and paid the required remittance to NAHCON to secure the 2,146 Hajj seats allocated to the state.

Similarly, he added that, planning and administration of the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccination exercise, including booster doses to Intending Pilgrims and officials have been conducted.

The state Pilgrims Boss maintained that, the board has procured pilgrims uniform materials and suite cases, while it is also planning to transport the materials to the zonal offices for eventual distribution to all the intending Pilgrims in the state.

To this end, Kuki said the board has commenced the repairs and maintenance of the pilgrims transit camp, financed it's Bankers for the procurement of BTA and online enrolment of pilgrim's e-passports at e-hajj portal for the processing and procurement of visa which has reached advanced stage.

On offshore preparations, he said the board has participated in the first pre-hajj visit to Saudi Arabia organized by NAHCON, appoint service providers, the Makkah accommodation agents and caterers, as well secured pilgrims accommodation at Makkah.

Alhaji Yusuf Barmo, the Board's Chairman, in a remark, appealed to all the stakeholders to extend professional advises to the board and work as a team to ensure a smooth exercise.

Bashir Umar Ibrahim, the representative of NAHCON coordinator, on his part, called on stakeholders to ensure that pilgrims are properly oriented to enable them perform all their Hajj rights successfully.