The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has explained some the reason the commission has been having challenges in airlifting Nigeria Pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2022 hajj pilgrimage.
In a statement, NAHCON Assistant Director, Information and Publications Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, explained that the Saudi Arabian government only gave go ahead for the 2022 Hajj in the middle of March 2022 when everyone had almost given up hope that there would not be Holy pilgrimage this year.
Alhaji Ubandawaki said that after the announcement NAHCON had to wait for Saudi Arabia to officially issue out guideline in the tradition of signing a contract in terms of Memorandum of Understanding MoU which eventually did not take place.
He said in spite of the unique challenges that laced the 2022 hajj, the commission is irrevocably committed to re-evaluating the processes to re-enforce pilgrims’ airlift and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that no Nigerian Pilgrims is left here in the shores of the country.
“Like every Hajj exercise which usually comes with unique challenges, the ongoing exercise has been on with the problem of delay airlift, cancellation, delay in issuance of visa for intending pilgrims and sundry other issues. Indeed, the fumes from the paint in the house are pretty strong undeniably , there are many chefs in the kitchen right now, especially from the media, intending pilgrims, their relations and the public who in spite of the assurances and re-assurances have continued to doubt the capabilities, capacity and the assurances of the commission to airlift all registered Nigerian Pilgrims.
While we hasten to affirm that as an institution that is managing affairs of people and organization of diverse backgrounds, we cannot embark on any sense of self-righteousness in our approach, but we learn and evolve within the frames of best practices every single day.
“As such we recognize that there will always be space for improvement, we are therefore irrevocably committed to re-evaluating our processes to re-enforce pilgrims airlift, protection and welfare, even as we shall leave no stone unturned in ensuring that no Nigerian Pilgrims is left here in the shores of the country.
“We have engaged and achieved the mutual agreement between the Saudi authorities and some of the airlines for quick intervention and injection of three more aircrafts to the fleet which will translate into many more evacuations that will benefit the pilgrims,” he said.
