Lagos State has beaten beat 35 others to bag the award for the best performing state in the 2016 hajj operations in Nigeria.
The award was one out of the six the state also won for its excellent performance throughout the duration of the 2016 hajj exercise in Mecca and Medina.
Other awards won by the state include best state in coordination of pilgrims airlift, best state in e-track management, second best state in pilgrims education and enlightenment programme, second best state in Taradudiyyah exercise, third best state in provision of pilgrims accommodation and third best state in coordination of pilgrims feeding.
South West Commissioner of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Fauad Adeyemi, who presented the awards to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House in Ikeja, said Lagos won in seven out of the eight categories of awards instituted by the commission.
Mr Adeyemi thanked Governor Ambode for supporting the pilgrims and providing the necessary logistics that made the holy exercise not only worthwhile, but one that stood the state out from the crowd and made Nigeria proud.
“I want to thank the governor for his support because if a Christian governor can support his people to the level that they became the best, not only the way we used to know Lagos State, but they became the best throughout the nation and not only the nation, but they have an impact throughout the world. You did not only make us proud, personally you have made me proud,” Adeyemi said.
Governor Ambode, while thanking the commission for finding Lagos worthy of the awards, said it would spur the state on to retain the awards in subsequent exercise.
“For us in Lagos, we do not just see the awards; we focus on making the people comfortable. We thank the hajj commission, not because they recognised us, but because it’s only out of fairness that when you see a good thing you recognise it.
“For us as a government, we are committed to make life more comfortable for our people because we know that it is the essence of us being in government. This ward is just an inspiration for us, this is a challenge again that we must keep all these awards by the grace of God in this 2017 hajj operations,” he said.
Governor Ambode, who was represented by Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule, also thanked the Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board and other partners of the state government that worked towards the success of the hajj, reminding them that the award was a call to sustain the good works.
