Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar, has been commended for refunding the differential of the Basic Travelling Allowances (BTA) to state pilgrims who performed the 2007 hajj.

The commendation was given by a cross section of beneficiaries from zone 3 of the state.

Speaking to Nigerian Newsday at the zonal office of the board in Kafanchan where the payment was done, one of the beneficiaries, Hajiya Amina Hassan Garba, thanked the executive secretary for the kind gesture.

She said that she could not hide her happiness after collecting the money, because it would assist her in solving some financial problems.

Earlier, the deputy coordinator, Southern Kaduna Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibrin, who is also the Jama’a Local Government pilgrims’ officer, extolled the virtues of the executive secretary.

According to Alhaji Jibrin, the executive secretary has done a lot in uplifting the board by bringing desired results in services rendered to the pilgrims in Kaduna State.

The pilgrims officer added that the secretary had made it possible for staff of the board to go on various courses at the Kaduna International Business School, to re-train them for qualitative service delivery in their work.

Alhaji Jibrin thanked the executive secretary for his foresight and selfless contribution to the development and success of the board and urged him not to relent.

While supervising the payment of the differential allowances, a staff of the board, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, told our reporter that the repayment should not come as a surprise to anyone because this was not the first time that they were carrying out the repayment exercise.