Save 2024 Hajj preparations from imminent collapse, CSO urges Tinubu

With Sunday’s announcement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) of an upward review of Hajj 2024 fare, it has become imperative for governments at both the federal and state levels to provide intervention, else, Hajj 2024 will witness the lowest Nigerian contingent ever or Nigerian pilgrims may miss the opportunity of a lifetime to perform this year’s hajj.

 

In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of Independent Hajj Reporters, Ibrahim Muhammad, said, NAHCON had earlier in December 2023 fixed a fare of N4.9 million per pilgrim based on an exchange rate of N897:00 to a Dollar.

 

However, authorities at both the state and the federal governments could not meet with deadlines set by Saudi Arabian authorities to remit operational funds for hajj services despite extensions given because NAHCON was waiting for the Federal Government’s promised intervention to grant lower forex rates equivalent to the number of registered pilgrims from Nigeria.

 

With the approved timeframe for visa processing ticking away, NAHCON on Sunday, therefore, announced that due to the failure to meet obligations as when due, it has no option but to ask the about 50,000 intending pilgrims that have paid the initial fare of N4.9 million to now pay additional N1.918 million on or before March 28.

 

As a Civil Society Organization with ears to the ground when it comes to Hajj matters, we are sure that over 90% of those who paid the initial deposit of N4.9 million cannot afford to raise additional N1.9 million within four days.

 

It has, therefore, become imperative for us to call on the state governors and the Federal Government to come in and provide immediate succour to the pilgrims by providing additional payments as a form of subsidy.

 

Currently, NAHCON is on the verge of missing out on the deadline of 29th April set by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to process visas for Nigerian registered pilgrims – there will be no hajj without a visa.

 

For example, it will take states’ Muslim pilgrim’s welfare boards a minimum of one week to make announcements in their various states for pilgrims to be aware of the new increase. Over 65 per cent of those who have registered for the 2024 hajj are farmers and it will take an additional one week for those who have the means to be able to raise the N1.9 million increase announced by NAHCON.

 

If the pilgrims were able to pay the additional increase, then States Muslims Pilgrims boards will need a few days to transmit the collection to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the apex bank to begin the process of transferring the said sum to NAHCON’s International Bank Account Number (IBAN) in Saudi Arabia. It is only after this that payments can be made to Saudi based service providers.

 

With visa processing scheduled to close 35 days from now and the airlift of pilgrims billed to commence in 45 days, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should come to the rescue and provide the needed support without asking pilgrims to pay an additional increase for 2024 hajj.

 

“Anything short of this will see Nigeria travelling to Hajj 2024 with less than 10,000 pilgrims out of the allocated 95,000 slots with a potential risk of Nigerian pilgrims missing out on 2024 Hajj”.

 

“Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) had on several occasions called on all relevant authorities to take firm decisions and implement them because we foresaw what is happening now.

 

“We first raised the alarm on the 8th of July 2023 via a press statement titled “CSO urges NAHCON, states to commence registration of 2024 Hajj pilgrims in earnest” when the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the commencement of Hajj 2024 operations even when Hajj 2023 was not concluded.

 

“This was followed by another Statement dated 6th December where we pleaded with the Federal Government to grant concessionary exchange rates for 2024 hajj pilgrims”.

 

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had released new Hajj policies and intimated all Hajj participating countries about changes to Hajj operations especially as it relates to the choice and engagement of service providers, payment for such services and the issuance of visas which now comes much earlier than before.

 

“We are, therefore, appealing on behalf of all Nigerian Muslims that emergency interventions are provided so that pilgrims who have at least paid the initial deposit of N4.9 million are not denied the chance to fulfil this all-important religious obligation” IHR said.

 

CSO Urges Tinubu to appoint remaining NAHCON Board members

A Hajj and Umrah Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint the remaining members of the board of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) as enshrined on its establishment act.

 

The President had on 17TH October 2023 announced the appointment of Mallam Jalal Ahmad Arabi as the Ag Chairman of the country’s apex Hajj regulatory body. 

 

The President also announced additional members of the board and forwarded same to the Senate for confirmation. They have all been confirmed and inaugurated into office.

 

IHR in a statement on Thursday in Abuja signed by its national coordinator Ibrahim Mohammed said the new board of NAHCON is still incomplete.

 

Section 3 of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Establishment ACT 2006 under Composition of leadership of the commission clearly states that “the commission shall consist of the - (a) a chairman, who shall be-, (i) the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Commission; (ii) responsible to the Commission for the day-to-day management of the affairs of the Commission; 

 

B (b) three full-time members and six part-time members representing each geo- political zone provided that two of whom shall be women; 

(c) a representative each of the Ministry of- (i) Aviation; (ii) Foreign Affairs; (iii) Internal Affairs (Immigration); (iv) Finance; (v) Health; (d) a representative of the- (i) Central Bank of Nigeria; (ii) Jama'atul Nasril Islam; and (iii) Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.”

                                                                              

Based on the recent appointments by Mr President, it is clear that representatives of some key agencies are still missing and this may affect the smooth running of Hajj operations in the country.

 

“Board members representing the Ministries of Aviation, Health, Finance and Internal Affairs (Immigration), have all not been announced. Same goes for the representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

 

“These members often coordinate activities related to their establishments and some of them are very important and cannot be ignored. The structure of hajj preparations and operations requires NAHCON to function at full operational capacity as envisaged by the framers of NAHCON Establishment act.

 

“For instance, the member representing the Ministry of Health should have been at the forefront of the ongoing recruitment of medical personnel for Hajj 2024. In the same vein, the representative of Nigerian Immigration Service should be helping secure Passports for intending pilgrims just as the representatives of CBN and Aviation should have been helping with facilitating the needed foreign exchange and preparations of selected airlines,” IHR said.

 

The CSO therefore urges the President to appoint the representatives of these MDAs because of the important role they play in successful Hajj operations.

 

Hajj2023: Kungiyar Hajj Reporters Ta Samar Da Wata Tawaga Da Zata Sanya Idanu Kan Aikin Hajjin Bana A Kasa Mai Tsarki

Kungiyar 'yan jaridu masu daukar rahotannin aikin ta kasa (IHR) ta samar da wata tawaga mai mutane 5 da za ta sanya ido kan ayyukan da  jami’an aikin hajji da aka nada da masu ba da hidima ga alhazan Najeriya a kasar Saudiyya.

Tawagar za ta yi aiki tare da kwamitin tantancewa da hukumar alhazai ta Najeriya (NAHCON) kamar yadda shugaban hukumar ta IHR Ibrahim Muhammad ya bayyana a wata sanarwa da ya fitar ranar Alhamis.

Kungiyar farar hula mai zaman kanta ta ce an kafa wannan tawaga ne domin tabbatar da cewa dukkan jami’an sun gudanar da ayyukan da aka ba su kamar yadda aka tsara a jadawalin ayyukansu.

Tawagar za ta kuma tabbatar da cewa masu ba da hidimar da suka tsunduma aikin yi wa alhazan Najeriya hidima a fannonin masauki, sufuri, ciyar da abinci, tsaftar muhalli, tantuna a Muna da Arafat sun gudanar da ayyuka masu inganci ta hanyar samar da ingantattun ayyuka ga mahajjatan Najeriya.

Tawagar dai za ta kasance karkashin jagorancin Kodinetan IHR na kasa Ibrahim Muhammad, inda Sakatare Janar Nuruddeen M. Abdallah, Shugaban Yada Labarai Sani Tukur, Jidda Abubakar, da Mustapha Hodi za su taimaka.

Sanarwar ta ce, “A tsawon shekarun da suka gabata, mun lura cewa wasu jami’ai, musamman masu tsaurin ra’ayi, suna barin ayyukansu da zarar sun isa Saudiyya. Wannan mummunar dabi’a ta shafi ingancin ayyukan da aka sa ran za a yi wa alhazanmu masoya”.

 

Kungiyar ta fararen hula ta ce, "wasu jami'ai ma suna neman a yi musu hidima maimakon hidimar alhazai, wanda shine dalilin da ya sa aka nada su."

 

“Jami’an aikin Hajji na wasu kasashe a kodayaushe suna sanye da kayan aiki don a sauƙaƙe tantancewa kuma suna cikin hidimar alhazai na sa’o’i 24. Yawancinsu ba sa yin aikin hajji saboda suna ganin nauyin da ya rataya a wuyansu na hidimar alhazan su ya fi kowane lamari na biyu nauyi.

“Za mu samu cikakken jerin sunayen jihohin da hukumar NAHCON ta nada da kuma sanya ido kan yadda suke gudanar da aikin hajjin a duk tsawon lokacin aikin hajjin,” in ji sanarwar.

Mista Muhammad ya ce kwamitin zai yi aiki musamman tare da sashen binciken da ke kula da jami’ai da masu bada hidima a Jeddah, Makkah, Madina, Muna da Arafat.

Sanarwar ta ce "Kwamitin zai tattara abubuwan da ya lura da shi a cikin wani nau'i na rahoto wanda za a mika shi ga dukkan jami'an da suka dace don ci gaba da aiki da kuma zama jagora ga daukar jami'an adhoc a aikin hajjin na gaba," in ji sanarwar.