By YUSUF MOHAMMED KULLOMA and SAN SHAFI’I
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) played host to a three-man delegation from the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) led by its President, Alhaji Razak Oladejo.
NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Zikirullah Kunle Hassan in his welcome address to the delegation, expressed delight at the visit.
While acknowledging the emergency nature and challenges of this year’s Hajj, he stated that it was a learning curve for the Commission and further announced that the Commission will commence preparation for 2023 Hajj in the next few weeks.
On the Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS), Alhaji Hassan commented that as a new concept in the country, it was bound to have some teething problems but expressed optimism that with time, the scheme would bring enormous benefit to the country in the nearest future as in Malaysia and Indonesia where the profits from a similar scheme had been used to subsidize the cost of Hajj for this year and years past.
He further reiterated that the advantages of HSS would not be felt by NAHCON alone but the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria.
He made it known that the Hajj Institute would formally be launched in three months’ time with President Muhammadu Buhari expected to declare the Institute opened.
Alhaji Hassan further disclosed that he and his Commissioners and some Management Staff of the Commissions would form the first set of enrollees at the Institute.
Alhaji Razak Oladejo, the leader of the MUSWEN delegation commended the Commission on the successful 2022 Hajj operations despite the challenges.
He also commended some of the initiatives listed by the NAHCON Chairman. He expressed his belief that the Hajj Savings Scheme would help generate revenue for the Commission.
He emphasized that the Hajj Institute is necessary to educate and train operators and service providers in the Hajj and Umrah industry to professionalize the services enjoyed by pilgrims.
Alhaji Oladejo further called on the NAHCON Boss for uniformity in regulations and sanctions against defaulters which he stated will help sanitize the Hajj industry.
