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Tag: 2018 Hajj

  • Buhari receives 2018 Hajj report

    *Plans Hajj Saving Scheme to increase participation

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received the 2018 Hajj report at the State House, Abuja.

    The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, briefed the President after the jumaat prayer.

    Speaking with State House correspondents, after the meeting, he said “I briefed Mr president on the outcome of 2018 Hajj which was recently concluded and Mr President was very happy with the outcome of the Hajj.

    “He particularly commended Nigerian pilgrims for behaving excellently during the Hajj and he urged and directed that the commission should do everything humanly possible sustain the tempo and the successes recorded and also commence preparations for the 2019 Hajj in earnest. We should try to sustain the tempo of the successes recorded.

    “I briefed Mr President about the turn out of the pilgrims and we all appreciate the reasons and what ought to be done in future to make sure that Nigeria fills up its quota.

    “And part of the measures to be taken will be the introduction of the Hajj Saving Scheme programme which will enable pilgrims who want to pay over a long period of time to start paying by installments.

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    “And all regulatory framework to ensure the success of the Hajj Saving Scheme will be put in place and government will do the needful for the take off of the scheme in due course.” he said

    According to him, one of the main challenge faced was the medical fitness of some of the pilgrims.

    He said “In some states, you see people who apparently are aged and don’t have accompanying relations to support them.

    “We are not saying no to the registration of aged people but they should have an accompanying relation who should give them all the support they should require to perform the hajj in the best manner.

    “To address this, we are going to strengthen our education and enlightenment programme and also the medical screening aspect of it will be strengthened.

    “We will consolidate the gains we have recorded with the concert of the national medical team to make sure that this is achieved in subsequent Hajj.” he said.

  • Rats attract NAHCON’s attention too

    A discourse on rats and 2018 Hajj exercise recently made headlines in many online and mainstream media. Some news platforms drew a bleak picture of the doom about to befall Nigerian Muslim pilgrims due to rats attack whilst another group towed with caution querying whether the rodents may prevent same pilgrims from embarking on the holy journey. Thankfully enough, the minister of health quickly dispelled all fears with a single declaration backed by data that the rat attack has been ‘technically defeated’ and that they are at the stage of ‘operation final punch’ before declaring the outbreak successfully over.

    Indeed with some papers running gloomy headers such as “Hajj 2018: Saudi Arabia moves to stop Nigerian pilgrims”, perhaps some intending pilgrims, especially those who have already paid might have begun experiencing cardiac freezes. This was evidenced by the frenzy of calls some NAHCON staff kept receiving from individuals seeking clarification. However, two principal officers swiftly laid the confusion to rest just when some Nigerians might have seen a cover to launch their political subterfuge. One of these principal officers is the chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad and the other is the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.

    In a stakeholders’ meeting held on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, NAHCON’s CEO said that due to media panic over Lassa fever outbreak late last year, the Saudi ministry of health resolved to take precautionary measures towards preventing persons, items or Lassa fever vectors from gaining entrance into the Kingdom in order not to endanger the lives of world pilgrims.

    Mukhtar who concurred to Saudi’s fear, affirmed that NAHCON would do anything humanly possible to ensure that no one with a suspected case of Lassa fever is allowed to make the pilgrimage to Makkah and that all agencies responsible for transportation of pilgrims have been mandated to screen their pilgrims’ luggage thoroughly against travelling along with rats, rodents or contaminated items. The chairman described Saudi’s step as an ideal Islamic practice and one which NAHCON and the world of medicine identify as a safety precaution. Hence, NAHCON will fully collaborate with Saudi Arabia in maintaining this.

    The health minister gave an update on the Lassa fever scourge declaring it almost over. He urged the media to adopt the habit of being positive in their reportage and giving government benefit of the doubt while reporting only substantiated information.

     

    • By Fatima Sanda Usara

     NAHCON media unit, Abuja.

     

  • Kogi gets 717 slots for 2018 Hajj

    Kogi gets 717 slots for 2018 Hajj

    The Kogi Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board yesterday said 717 slots had been allocated to the state for this year’s hajj by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

    Its Executive Chairman, Sheikh Lukman Abdullah, said the figure was far less than the 838 slots allocated to the state last year.

    Abdullah spoke during a visit to his office by state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    He said the board was making efforts to get additional slots, adding that  preparations for the 2018 hajj had commenced.

    Abdallah, who said that the greatest challenge facing the board and intending pilgrims was time, noted that all intending pilgrims had been given March 31 deadline to complete the payment of N1.5 million hajj fare.

    The Chairman reiterated that the green colour e-passport, national identity card and medical report are compulsory for all intending pilgrims.

    He said accommodation had been secured near the sacred mosques in Mecca and Medinah, adding that efforts were in the pipeline to enhance the welfare of pilgrims before, during and after the hajj.

  • NAHCON signs MoU with Madinah firm ahead of 2018 Hajj

    Ahead of the preparation towards the 2018 Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the National Adilla Establishment in Madina have signed the 2018 Hajj services agreement in an ongoing pre 2018 Hajj in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    NAHCON’s Chairman/CEO, Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad and the Vice Chairman/CEO of the Adillah EstablishmentMr Essam bin AbdulAziz Demyati signed the agreement at the Adillah’s Madinah Headquarters, it was learnt.

    Confirming this development in a statement signed by NAHCON Chief Information Officer, Abdullahi Adamu, he said the Nigerian delegation at the meeting include Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Isah Mohammed Dodo; the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship and Hajj, Hon Dr. Abdullahi Salame; NAHCON’s Commissioners PPMF, Alh Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, PHD and Operations, Alh. Abdullahi Modibbo Saleh; the Nigerian Consul-General, Ambassador Sani Yunusa.

    Also at the meeting were NAHCON Board Members; representatives from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; State Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Leadership of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators in Nigeria (AHUON) and staff of the Nigerian Embassy; Consulate and NAHCON.

    In the statement which reads in part, Adamu said: “Prior to the signing the two parties discussed issues of the 2017 Hajj in order to harmonise their efforts for better 2018 Hajj arrangements. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the trends of partnership between them. Some of the issues discussed included the problem of some tour operators’ passengers that failed to comply to their return flight schedule just as problems caused by Gratis Visas given by Saudi Foreign Missions in Nigeria; late arrival of some Pilgrims into Madina, among other issues.

    “The National Adillah Establishment is the Saudi Agency in charge of coordinating all pilgrims’ activities in Madina. This includes reception of pilgrims at Air and Land entry points, custody of their passports, liaising with transportation companies and landlords for the provision of transportation and accommodation service and handling any other issue involving pilgrims during their stay in Madina,” the statement added.

  • 2018 Hajj: FCT Muslim pilgrims’ welfare board begins collection of deposit

    2018 Hajj: FCT Muslim pilgrims’ welfare board begins collection of deposit

    The FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has hinted of plans to commence the registration of its intending pilgrims for the 2018 Hajj on Monday 4th of December, 2018 across the six area councils of the territory.

    A statement from the board’s spokesperson, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu said that intending pilgrims who wish to perform the pilgrimage through the Board are to present a bank draft of minimum of N1, 000,000.00 payable to the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abuja and their International Passports to book for a seat pending the release of the actual hajj fare by the federal government.

    The spokesperson added that the board would not entertain payment by proxy while old timers are to pay additional two thousand Saudi Riyals (SR2000:00) for the exercise.

    Besides, the Board mandated that all intending pilgrims must be guaranteed by chief Imam of Area Council or Traditional Ruler or a senior civil servant of not less than Grade Level 12 as contained in the Guideline for the registration of 2018 intending Pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

    In addition, according to Muhammad Lawal, female intending Pilgrims would only be registered with their male guide (Muharam) in line with the Saudi Arabian government regulations.

    He said that the Board has resolved to register intending pilgrims on first-come first-served basis while first timers would be given priority.

    Meanwhile, the Area Councils structure of the board is to be reshuffled to ensure efficiency, proficiency and safeguard against fraud in this year’s hajj exercise.

    The Acting Director of the Board, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar disclosed this at the opening of an in-house training for Area Officers of the board for the registration of the 2018 intending pilgrims.

    Abubakar said the measure became necessary in order to ensure transparency in the registration of the 2018 hajj exercise and ensure that intending pilgrims from the territory get the best service ever in the history of hajj operation in the FCT.

    He warned them to treat their intending pilgrims with dignity by performing their duty diligently in line with the administration’s desire for excellent service delivery.