The acting Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON),Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, on Thursday assured members of Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN) of the commission’s commitment to providing them support and assistance towards ensuring Nigerian pilgrims have value for their money.
This is even as the NAHCON boss declared his readiness to give the tour operators transparent, formidable and accountable partnership in the best interest of Nigerian pilgrims.
Arabi made these known at an interactive meeting with the executives and members of AHOUN at the Hajj House, Abuja, as part of his consultative drive since assuming office as the commission’s helmsman.
The acting chairman expressed NAHCON’s readiness in collaboration with the association, to address the challenges facing the Hajj industry by ensuring robust partnership between the two organisations.
Emphasising the importance of partnership between them, Malam Arabi described AHUON as a dependable and reliable partner which is expected to support and cooperate with NAHCON with a view to ensuring service delivery to the pilgrims.
The NAHCON boss stated that, “I want to express profound gratitude to the association for being a dependable and reliable partner of NAHCON. There is no denying the fact that anyone involved in pilgrimage knows the symbiotic relationship between the Commission and AHUON.
“Though we supervise and superintend over you, however, I extend our hands of fellowship to you, so that we can get the best for our pilgrims.”
He then assured that NAHCON would continue to discharge its responsibilities with openness and transparency.
“In me you have a formidable partner and we will work with you with openness, transparency, honesty and accountability and in the best interest of the pilgrims,” Arabi assured the tour operators.
Responding, AHUON President, Alhaji Yahaya Nasidi Danbare, expressed his association’s willingness to support and cooperate with NAHCON in order for it to achieve its objectives.
Danbare said AHUON was ready to work together with the Hajj body to ensure Nigerian pilgrims were duly catered for.
He expressed gratitude to the commission for its support to members of his association in ensuring that pilgrims that registered with them were airlifted to the kingdom.of Saudi Arabia to perform the 2023 Hajj exercise.
“We appreciate the support and backing of NAHCON which has assisted us to airlift all our pilgrims to the Holy Land during the 2023 Hajj and we look forward to more collaboration and cooperation towards achieving greater feat in the forthcoming 2024 Hajj,” he said.
The highlight of the interactive meeting, which centered on a 10-point agenda, was the agreement between both sides to ensure timely reconciliation, allocation of pilgrims slots as well as remittance to the NAHCON’s IBAN Account to enable the commission meets its obligation and Saudi Arabia timeline.
In another development, Arabi has expressed his deep-felt sympathy to the family of one of the tour operators, Danlami Umar of Hasha Travel and Tours, who slumped and died as he made his way to the venue of the meeting.
A statement by NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki, stated that the acting chairman described death as inevitable.
“Death is inevitable. As Muslims our belief is that not a second can be added when the time comes. Our heart goes out to his family, friends and associates at this time. May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and give the members of the family the fortitude to bear the loss,” Arabi was quoted to have said.
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