The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Tuesday informed that it had secured the sum of SR542,033, equivalent to N107, 864,567 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as refund for the poor feeding services rendered by the Company of Mutawwifs for Pilgrims from African Non- Arab Countries during the 2022 Hajj in the Holy Land.
The development, according to the Hajj commission’s Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Mousa Ubandawaki, followed several letters written and consistent reminders by the Commission to the Mutawwifs on the poor feeding services rendered to Nigerian pilgrims during the Masha’ir period.
The Mutawwifs, or Muassassah as it is fondly called, is the Saudi company responsible for the accommodation, transportation, and feeding of Nigerian and other African pilgrims in Muna and Arafat during the five-day Hajj in the Holy Land.
A letter signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Ahmad Bin Abbas Sindi, and addressed to NAHCON Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alhaji Zikhrullah Kunle Hassan, informed that the refund, which was part of the Masha’ir feeding contract, was necessitated by the need to maintain the relationship between the Mutawwafs and NAHCON.
The letter reads: “Reference to your letter no: NAHCON / AN43 dated 10/07/2022, regarding the poor quality of service and in order for the Company to maintain the National relationship between us, the sum of SR542,033 (Five Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand Thirty-Three Saudi Riyals) has been deducted from the amount of the Masha’ir feeding contract.”
Ubandawaki disclosed that the 2022 Hajj was marred by poor services rendered by the Muassassah for Nigerian pilgrims, especially feeding during the five-day peak of Hajj, for which NAHCON protested and wrote several letters drawing the attention of the Company to the development.
Reacting to the development after the commission’s weekly executive council meeting earlier today, the Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Hassan said the development was heart-warming, as it vindicated NAHCON’s tenacious struggle to right the wrongs done to Nigerian pilgrims during the Hajj by the Muassassah, especially in the feeding arrangement and the quality of services rendered during the period.
“I really want to thank my counterparts from the Mutawwifs for this role in ensuring that they refunded the money paid for services not rendered or poorly delivered,” Ubandawaki quoted the chairman to have said.