By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Senator Manu Haruna of Taraba Central Senatorial District has completed a motorised borehole project in Budowa of Garbachede, Bali Local Government Area, as part of his commitment to provide clean and accessible water to communities across the district on Wednesday.

This is coming barely one week after Senator Manu flagged off massive distribution of hospital equipment throughout his district and over 2,000 bags of fertilisers to over 14 farmers associaions.

This project aims to alleviate water scarcity and improve the well-being of residents by ensuring they have a reliable source of potable water.

Senator Manu’s vision for widespread access to clean water reflects his dedication to improving the standard of living for his constituents. By facilitating similar borehole projects across Taraba Central, he is addressing one of the fundamental needs of rural communities.

His efforts continue to demonstrate his responsiveness to the needs of the people, ensuring sustainable development and improved public health.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

NAHCON said it has successfully paid for 26,287 pilgrims’ spaces with an additional 26,000 spaces reserved to be fully secured by 13 February.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has secured pilgrim space in the Masha’air camps in Saudi Arabia for the 52,000 Nigerians projected to participate in the 2025 Hajj.

NAHCON spokesperson, Fatima Usara, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Masha’ir are the three sacred camps where pilgrims observe crucial Hajj rites. They are Muna, Arafat and Muzdalifah and hold significant importance in the Hajj pilgrimage.

Mr Usman, a professor, led the NAHCON delegation to Saudi Arabia for the finalisation of payment and contract signing in order meet the 14 February deadline.

According to Mrs Usara, the commission has made significant progress in securing accommodations for Nigerian pilgrims.

“As of Wednesday, NAHCON has successfully paid for 26,287 pilgrims’ spaces in Mashair, with an additional 26,000 spaces reserved to be fully secured by 13 February.

“The 26,287 fully secured spaces cover the pilgrims’ deposits so far received. 52,000 intending pilgrims are projected to participate in the 2025 Hajj.

“This proactive move to reserve space in Mashair, led by NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, ensures compliance with the 14th February deadline laid by Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MOHU) for finalising contract agreements by Hajj participating countries before the closure of the Nusuk Masar contracts’ portal,” the statement said.

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NAHCON Secures Mashair Space for 52,000 Intending Pilgrims Ahead of Deadline

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has successfully paid for 26,287 pilgrims’ spaces in Mashair and reserved another 26,000 to be fully secured by the end of business tomorrow 13th February 2025 pending awaited remittances. The 26,287 fully secured spaces cover the pilgrims’ deposits so far received. 52,000 intending pilgrims are projected to participate in the 2025 Hajj.

This proactive move to reserve space in Mashair, led by NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, ensures compliance with the 14th February deadline laid by Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MOHU) for finalizing contract agreements by Hajj participating countries before the closure of the Nusuk Masar contracts’ portal.

As part of this effort, Professor Usman had signed an agreement on Friday, 17th January 2025, at NAHCON’s Ummul Judd office in Makkah. The signing followed wide consultations with key stakeholders, particularly the Forum of State Chairmen, board members and representative of the presidency who were part of the delegation. It would be recalled that Professor Usman acknowledged the collaborative role of Malam Idris Almakura, Alhaji Faruku Yaro Aliyu, Malam Abubakar Salihu from the States Forum and Malam Ameen Amshi, representative of the Presidency in the screening and selection process.

Hence, after the successful engagement of the service provider early in the year, and to prevent any last-minute setbacks, the NAHCON Chairman Professor Usman sought and received approval from Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima to travel to Makkah and finalize this critical contract—an essential requirement for uploading visas scheduled to commence on the 19th of February.

Professor Usman expressed profound appreciation to the Vice President for his support, confidence, and non-interference in the Commission’s operations, which have enabled swift and decisive action in preparing the grounds for a smooth Hajj process for 2025 Nigerian pilgrims. According to the NAHCON Chairman, the Vice President’s quick response to request to travel to Saudi Arabia to resolve any bottlenecks has paid off well with the reservation now put to rest.

Professor Usman urged intending pilgrims to follow NAHCON news outlets for updates and to remain calm as all efforts have been put in place to ensure that they experience a convenient and hitch-free Hajj this year.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Senate on Thursday hailed the Federal Government for approving N4.2trillio for the construction of Calabar coastal road and other major road projects across Nigeria.

The motion, moved by Senator Mohammed Danjuma (Gombe Central), acknowledged the significance of this investment in addressing Nigeria’s deplorable road infrastructure, enhancing economic growth, and improving national security.

However, the Senate expressed concerns over the limited allocation of projects to the North-East region.

According to reports from ThisDay (February 4, 2025) and Daily Trust (February 5, 2025), the approved projects include the Lagos-Calabar Highway, Third Mainland Bridge rehabilitation, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Auchi-Edo Section, Benin Airport Area Section, roads in Anambra, Abia, and Enugu States, Lokoja-Benin Road, and Musasa-Jos Route.

The North-East was allocated only two projects: Yola-Fufore-Gurin Road (₦11.81 billion, Adamawa State) and Karim Lamido Road (₦7.68 billion, Taraba State).

Senator Danjuma noted with concern that the North-East region was excluded from the Renewed Hope Super Highway Project, stressing that several critical roads, including the Bauchi-Gombe Road, Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri Road, and Yola-Mubi Road, remain in dire need of rehabilitation.

Following deliberations, the Senate commended the Federal Government for its commitment to road infrastructure, called for urgent rehabilitation of all deplorable roads nationwide, and urged the inclusion of the North-East region in the Renewed Hope Super Highway Project to ensure balanced economic growth.

The motion was adopted by the Senate, reinforcing the need for fair infrastructural development across all regions of Nigeria