*Photo: Mallam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, NAHCON Chairman/CEO ( middle) in group photograph with stakeholders at the meeting*
By Mikail Mumuni in Makkah
*Mallam Jalal Ahmad Arabi giving his opening remarks*
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Wednesday held its annual post Arafat Stakeholders Meeting to appraise the 2024 Hajj currently winding down and map out strategies for next year’s operation.
At the event held in Makkah, NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi and heads of the different committees and other stakeholders gave reports on Hajj 2024 and made projections towards an improved exercise next year.
Malam Arabi in his opening remarks while thanking stakeholders for the parts played in the 2024 Hajj operations said they all approached it as a project and worked as a cohesive team.
Describing the Hajj exercise as a successful one, he called on officials of States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Commissions to ensure that they comply strictly with the 2025 Hajj calendar released earlier on Wednesday by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The NAHCON Chairman said the special recognition accorded some countries by Saudi Arabia for complying with timeline for Hajj is a challenge that Nigeria must work hard to meet.
Malam Arabi said another opportunity would be afforded stakeholders when they all finally returned to Nigeria to have an elaborate meeting where reports relating to Hajj 2024 and that of next year will be exhaustively discussed.
He wished all the Nigerian pilgrims a blessed and acceptable Hajj, promising that NAHCON will continue to up its game in providing top-notch services.
In their respective goodwill messages, Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello and Chairman House Committee on Pilgrims Affairs, Hon. Ja’faru Ali Mohammad commended NAHCON for a job well done.
Senator Bello (represented)
assured that the upper legislative body would continue to give maximum support to NAHCON. He commended the Commission, saying this year’s exercise recorded significant improvements over those of previous years.
Hon. Mohammad while also commending NAHCON on the airlift of pilgrims to the holy land hoped the return journey would be similarly seamless.
