The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has appealed to all stakeholders to prioritise collaboration towards delivering a successful 2025 Hajj exercise.
Chairman of NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh, made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the commission’s Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Hajia Fatima Usara.
According to Saleh, recently, NAHCON has, unfortunately, witnessed a series of bickering and exchanges in the media.
“This development, coming at a critical period when preparations for Hajj are peaking, is indeed a cause for concern.
“However, on the positive side, these exchanges reflect the keen interest of various stakeholders in ensuring the success of Hajj.
“It shows that, despite differing opinions, all parties share a common concern for the welfare of the pilgrims,” he said. .
He said that the back-and-forth also indicated a possible gap in understanding the specific roles and responsibilities of the different actors within the Hajj industry.
He said that the misunderstanding was, perhaps, responsible for some of the frictions being experienced.
The NAHCON boss assured that more efforts were geared towards the successful delivery of Hajj 2025.
“The commission fully understands these dynamics and, therefore, appeals to all stakeholders to kindly prioritise collaboration towards the immediate goal of delivering a successful Hajj.
“We assure all concerned that, by Allah’s grace, NAHCON will convene a retreat after the Hajj, where all issues can be thoroughly discussed and amicably resolved.
“For now, our stakeholders’ collective priority should be ensuring the success of the forthcoming Hajj, especially considering the huge financial, emotional, and spiritual investments that pilgrims have made to discharge this spiritual obligation.
“Let not our differences of understanding affect the trust reposed on us to serve our pilgrims efficiently,” he added.
The chairman recalled that since he assumed office, there had been no sufficient time to convene a stakeholders’ conference or retreat where roles, responsibilities, and limitations of each party could be clearly spelt out.
In another development, the commission noted that it received an official notice from Saudi Arabia that April 13 remained the deadline for those who wish to enter the kingdom for Umrah.
It added April 29 is the deadline for those in kingdom for Umrah to exit the country in preparation for 2025 Hajj.
“The notice says any violation will attract a fine of 100,000 Saudi Riyals.
“Please all Umrah pilgrims are advised to be guided by this directive to avoid any embarrassment,’’ it said. (NAN)
