600 intending Hajj pilgrims receive COVID-19 vaccine in Ogun

ABOUT 600 intending pilgrims to Mecca and Medina for the 2021 Hajj exercise have been given the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 by the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (OGSMPWB).

The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Dauda Salau, who made this disclosure while speaking at the end of the two-day exercise held at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the vaccination was one of the requirements for the Hajj exercise.

Salau said the vaccination was in compliance with the new health policy of Saudi Arabia and the directive of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

He added that the state government was concerned about the wellbeing and safety of the people, particularly those willing to perform the pilgrimage, urging the beneficiaries to always obey COVID-19 protocols and make themselves available for the second dose at the appropriate time.

‘’I am impressed with the large turnout of intending pilgrims who have received the COVID-19 vaccination. This is an indication that the present administration is determined to ensure that intending pilgrims from Ogun State are vaccinated against COVID-19 for their wellbeing and safety in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

“Let me add that after receiving the first dose of Astra Zeneca vaccine, you are expected to get another dose after few weeks,” he said.

On her part, a NAHCON Commissioner from the South West, Alhaja Basirat Akintunde, emphasised the importance of the vaccine, saying the exercise was free and safe for intending pilgrims, contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the intending pilgrims were made to pay for the vaccine.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…600 intending Hajj pilgrims  600 intending Hajj pilgrims

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…600 intending Hajj pilgrims  600 intending Hajj pilgrims