The President of the National Hadj Commission, Rene Emmanuel Sadi has created a committee to seek, within 48 hours, feasible solutions to the situation of 800 intending pilgrims to the 2012 Moslem pilgrimage to holy sites of Saudi Arabia, due to run from October 2 to November 2, 2012.

He arrived at the decision after chairing an emergency meeting with facilitators of intending pilgrims yesterday, September 13, 2012, in Yaounde. Rene Emmanuel Sadi explained that the meeting was prompted by complains from intending pilgrims whose names did not appear on the list of 3,000 selected pilgrims established on September 5, long after the August 30 deadline.

According to Rene Emmanuel Sadi, integrating the 800 latecomers would involve renegotiating with Ethiopian Airlines, the official carrier and other services in Saudi Arabia for extra lodging, feeding and transport arrangements.

Reports presented at the meeting revealed that each pilgrim has to pay FCFA 1,850,000. "The overall cost rose to FCFA 2.1 million but was reduced by FCFA 250,000 as a result of assistance granted by President Paul Biya to each pilgrim," explained Rene Emmanuel Sadi.

Other reports presented indicated the desire of so many Muslims to participate in this year's pilgrimage. Sensitisation seminars were organised throughout the country from July 9 to 20 to explain the Hadj Commission President's July 6 memo on the pilgrimage. At the end of the meeting, the facilitators of intending pilgrims thanked the Head of State for subsidising their pilgrimage fares.