2024 Hajj: NAHCON Fails to Account For N90Bn Federal Government Subsidy
By Juliet Vincent
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) failed to properly account for how the N90 billion subsidy paid by the Federal Government for the 2024 Hajj exercise was spent.
This was at a hearing organised by the Adhoc Committee of the House of Representatives probing the NAHCON and the Federal Capital Territory Administration Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in Abuja.
NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Olarewaju Elegusi said he was aware that subsidy was paid but was unable to tell the committee how the money was disbursed.
When queried by the Chairman of the Committe, Sada Soli, Elegusi said, “I am aware subsidy of N90bn by the Federal Government. I did not see the document until the former chairman addressed a press conference and stated how it was disbursed. The money was paid in naira through the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
He said some part of the subsidy was remitted back to the Federal Government through the CBN and promised to furnish the committee with the required documents in the next sitting.
Also the Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) Wednesday said that Hajj operations in the country should be manage by the private sector.
The Vice President Kano branch of the association, Mr Haruna Ismail government should be proactive in putting the right measures and laws on ground to drive this process.
The stakeholders recommended that NAHCON should be limited to regulatory and supervisory duties only.
He said that the future of Hajj is at the hands of the private operators in Nigeria.
He said that AHOUN was ready to provide expertise support for the required legislative process.
“We recommend the committee to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to verify some of our submissions and interact with some of the active players in the provision of service to Nigerian Pilgrims.
“The committee should look at developing a standard operational practice for all operators in the Hajj management chain. This will act as a model upon which future Haji reforms shall be placed on.
“The need for a joint committee of all players in the Hajj management in the country is long over-due to constantly review Hajj processes, reports and complaint
“As we gear up to full private operator’s control, we suggest this committee to recommend a regime where the share of the slots should be increased gradually by 10,000 slots annually thereby building the capacity to take over the operation,” he said.
Also, the Managing Director of Comerel Travels, Mr Abubakar Siddeeq,said that management of Hajj must evolve around qualified individuals who thoroughly understand the complexities of hajj operations.
He said that the problem of hajj in Nigeria has been this vile that has been changing its name from one name to another.
According to him, no hajj operation will succeed in Nigeria with such being the service provider for the Nigerian pilgrims.
Siddeeq said that section 3 of the NAHCON establishment Act should include representatives of tour operators and state welfare pilgrims boards and agencies on the NAHCON board.
“NAHCON has no a single pilgrim in Nigeria saying that tour operators and the state pilgrims welfare boards are the owners of the pilgrims.
“The problems in hajj operations will continue since the owners of the pilgrims are excluded from the board of NAHCON.
“This Act that we are working on and discussing, lacks a clear definition of private tour operators, agency and agencies is not enough.
“It may create a confusion. It has to be spelled out clearly. Private tour operators and what they do, they organise hard for groups and individuals.
“Priority should be given to the implementation of the existing Act, because there is nothing wrong with it, only the amendment that we are mentioning. Now, it is a fine document, but has not been allowed to work properly.
“NAHCON should rather enhance its regulatory oversight by implementing effective regulations and enforcement mechanism. It has nothing to do with being a party in the operation. It oversees what is done there.
“NAHCON should not determine hajj fairs for states. Why will NAHCON license private tour operators and license states pilgrims, boards and produce a template for the hajj fair for them and announce it.
“That is not its business, otherwise they they can as well, announce fair for tour operators. It’s not NAHCON business to to do that,” he said.
Siddeeq said that the states go round, get the standard of accommodation that they need for their pilgrims.
He said that having a template with 3000 as the benchmark for accommodation in Makka by NAHCON does not make any sense, because the accommodation is not the same.
