2023 Hajj: NAHCON sets up 8-man committee on Muna, Arafat services

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Not satisfied with the services provided for Nigerian pilgrims at the Masha’ir (Muna and Arafat) during the just-concluded Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on Wednesday set up an eight-man Committee to review the services and come up with a recommendation and position paper.

The decision, according to a press release signed by NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki, made available to Tribune Online from Makkah, Saudi Arabia, was part of the resolutions adopted at the end of a meeting between NAHCON, state Muslim pilgrims welfare boards and tour operators, held at the commission’s Ummul-Judd office in Makkah.

The meeting, Ubandawaki stated, was attended by the executive secretaries/chairmen or Amirul Hajj of the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the armed forces and members of AHOUN.

The committee, which was inaugurated by NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai, on behalf of the Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, is to address the poor services rendered to Nigerian pilgrims in Muna and Arafat during the Hajj.

Ubandawaki informed that the committee headed by NAHCON Secretary, Dr Abdullahi Rabiu Kotangora, has Alhaji Abdulkadir Oloyin, Assistant Director, in the Office of the Chairman; Mallam Ishaq Jae of the Saudi liaison office as members.

Other members are the Secretary of Adamawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board; Director, FCT Pilgrims Welfare Board as well as the Secretary of Lagos Pilgrims Welfare Board, while AHUON is to be represented by the Vice Presidents of Lagos and Kano zones respectively.

According to the release, the eight-man committee has the following Terms of Reference: To review the 2023 Hajj Masha’ir services provided by Company of Muttawwifs for African Non -Arab countries; to establish the services provided as contained in the contract for all packages; to establish services not rendered.

The term of reference also included, to establish services poorly rendered; to seek for compensation/ refund as the case may be and to recommend mitigation strategies for future exercises.

The committee is to aggregate all the complaints from the NAHCON, states and tour operators during the Masha’ir for onward submission to the Saudi Arabia Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah for necessary action.

While Nigerian pilgrims complained of poor feeding during their stay at Muna and Arafat, about 10,000 pilgrims were unable to secure bed spaces in the tents provided for the Nigerian contingent this year, a development that was said to have led to overcrowding in the Nigerian area.

The Company of Muttawwifs for African Non -Arab Countries, otherwise known as Muassassa later apologised to Nigeria over the inadequate tents at Muna and relocated the affected pilgrims to the Turkish area at Muna.

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