*Photo: Alhaji Hassan, NAHCON Chairman/CEO granting an interview as the Final Nigerian Pilgrims departed Jeddah airport HAJJ Terminal on Sunday.*
Nigeria’s last flight for 2022 Hajj, an Azman Air with 319 pilgrims from Kaduna and Kano and officials from the various states and NAHCON departed King Abdul Aziz International Airport Jeddah, Sunday 7th August 2023 at about 12: 00 pm.
The trip signifies end of 2022 Hajj Operations from Nigeria.
Fatima Sanda Usara, Assistant Director, Public Affairs,
NAHCON said in a statement the “The last flight is coming six days ahead of deadline of Hajj airlift as set by the Saudi authorities, and three days ahead of NAHCON’s planned deadline being 10th of August 2022. For over three weeks of the operation, only two flights cancellation were recorded with maximum delay of six hours.”
In a ceremony to mark the end of the operation, the NAHCON Chairman Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan attributed success of the return trip to Almighty. He thanked the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for his tireless support to Hajj organization.
The Chairman acknowledged that there were challenges during the outbound trip from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia resulting from time constraint as well as other unforeseen hiccups such as the IBAN issue that affected some Tour Operators. Nonetheless, this has spurred the Commission into taking lessons. He stressed that the Commission would commence early planning and would embark on prequalification of airlines sooner than later to allow the carriers to cross any unforeseen hurdles in good time. He also stressed that the Commission would ensure that any contractual agreement signed is fulfilled as agreed.
In another development, a dinner was organized yesterday, 6th August in honor of NAHCON which marked beginning of the 2023 Hajj preparations. Chairman of the Company of Mutawifs for Pilgrims from African Non-Arab Countries, Mr. Ahmad Sindi eulogized Nigerian Hajj mission as the single most important delegation to the company.
In his words, “Nigeria is very special to the company”. He lamented that certain things were not done the way the company wanted but reassured that the pilgrims deserve better service and this they are ready to provide irrespective of cost.
- The Mutawifs at the dinner *
Consequently, the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Hassan made three formal requests at the occasion the first of which is timely communication on 2023 Hajj guidelines, second is a review of the feeding arrangement in Masha’ir, and the third is a request for quick resolution of the IBAN blockade that deterred some Tour Operators’ pilgrims from participating in the year’s Hajj.
The Chairman also raised the issue of insufficient space and proper marking of conveniences in Muna.
Responding, Mr Sindi assured NAHCON that 2023 Hajj will witness complete restructuring in contrast to this year’s hasty arrangements.
He also expressed confidence that the Hajj quota will return to status quo ante therefore recommended that NAHCON starts working on the original figure unless instructed otherwise. He further informed that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had already engaged engineering companies on upgrade of facilities in Muna, Arafat and Muzdalifa. The upgrade will be carried out in phases. However, his company has sent out a proposal to carry out the upgrade in the interest of its pilgrims even if the upgrade will be only temporary before the phasal engineering project reaches our site.
The Mu’assasa Chairman revealed that the company will next year role out a scientific feeding plan that will take care of quantity, quality and the number of calories contained in the meal. He also assured that there will be a pre delivery monitoring where compromise will not be tolerated at all unlike the situation this year which forced everyone to accept the available option. He acknowledged that indeed 2023 Hajj preparations has started with the hosting of NAHCON in the finest location in Jeddah.
