The Ghanaian Hajj Board on Tuesday sought closer collaboration with its Nigerian counterpart, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to foster a brotherly relationship between the two African countries.
The Board Chairman and Presidential Coordinator, Hon Ben Abdallah Banda, made the request when he paid a familiarisation visit to the NAHCON Makkah office at Ummul Jood.
A release signed by NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, made available to Tribune Online from Makkah stated that while praising the commission for its pace-setting role, Banda stated that the Ghana Hajj Board had come to learn and drink from NAHCON’s deep well of knowledge and experience it acquired over the years.
“We are here knowing your history and what you have accomplished. We, therefore, deem it appropriate to visit you so that we could learn and share from your experience.
“We have come here to have first-hand ideas and experience from our big brother Nigeria in Hajj management.
“It is gratifying that in spite of your schedule, you gave us your time to receive us. We believe that whatever knowledge we acquire from you will bring more improvement in our Hajj management and process,” Ubandawaki quoted Banda to have said.
He informed that Banda was in company with other members of the Ghana Hajj Board, including Alhaji Osuman Masawudu; Alhaji Aziz Haruna Futa and the Head of Administration of the Board, Alhaji Ahmed Abdulai Abu.
Responding, NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, said that the Commission was willing to share its experience as well as cooperate with the Board to achieve its goal of serving the guests of Allah in the Holy Land.
According to him, the cooperation between the two countries would help solve the problem of accommodation and service delivery under the company of Mutawifs of African non-Arab countries.
Hassan stated that NAHCON’s long years of experience put it in good stead to play a leading role in exploring and harnessing the potentials of the African continent through its Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS), the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) that were designed to provide expertise to African Hajj missions in financial management and human capital development.
“Our doors are opened for you in our Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) to train your manpower needs and acquisition of knowledge for your Hajj administrators,” Hassan said.
Also, present to receive the Ghanaian delegation were Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa, Commissioner Operations, Inspectorate and Licensing (OIL); Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai, Commissioner, Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance (PPMF); Sheikh Suleiman Momoh, Commissioner, Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS) along with members of the NAHCON management team.
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