HAJJ: Operators Urge Government To Probe NAHCON Over Poor Performance

The Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN), has called on the Federal Government to probe the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the Hajj regulator on the handling of 2024 Hajj conduct.

In a Press statement issued in Makkah, AHOUN National President, Abdulmojeed Ekundayo, said Nigerian Pilgrims who performed the 2024 Hajj, faced hardship and were subjected to poor Hajj performance.

AHOUN President listed accommodations challenges, poor feeding, limited convenience outlets, poorly funded transportation system and inadequate accommodations for Nigerian Pilgrims, whom he said paid millions of Nigeria to perform the spiritual exercise, in addition to the N90 billion Federal Government released as subsidy for 2024 Hajj.

“We demand to know those who are responsible for the appointment of the caterers this year. We can no longer accept this perennial abuse of our pilgrims to accept anything as food despite paying handsomely for it”.

“Unlike the zone 5 mixed experience, the worst ever experience in this year’s Hajj was at the tent A. Many pilgrims that paid heavily for this service could not have access to the camp both pre-Arafat and post-Arafat”.

”Some had to resort to tent D service to be able to perform the Hajj.

“The pilgrims that were able to access the service experienced their worst nightmare, overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions and bullying from security personnel which forced some to abandon the camp and return to Makkah to complete their Hajj rites.

“The tent A service this year like the previous years was characterized by lack of transparency, racketeering, profiteering and poor organization”, the AHOUN President noted.

As a way of restitution, the association asks for a refund with immediate effect, all its outstanding claims for unutilized visas for the 2022 Hajj and the failed service provision for last year’s Hajj (2023).

“We are determined not to let any of our members lose a dime for services paid and not enjoyed.

“With the new policy of government withdrawal of subsidy on Hajj matters, we wish to call on NAHCON to stop all charges on our members including the dollar equivalent we pay as service fees.

“While we agreed that NAHCON has the right to charge licensing fees, we believe the Hajj license is the most expensive of any licensing regime in Nigeria. How can anyone justify a fee of N1m for a license that has only 2-month validity”, it queried.

Lantana Nasir