A faith-based civil society organisation (CSO) that reports and monitors Hajj and Umrah activities, the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has called on state governors to give priority to Hajj issues in their respective states.
This is in view of the delay in announcing the commencement of pilgrims’ registration by some states’ Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Agencies.
A statement signed by the IHR National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed, made available to Tribune Online in Abuja, informed that some states pilgrims welfare boards were yet to submit their 2024 Hajj reports and as such had not got approval to start registration for the 2025 Hajj.
Muhammed added that Niger, Sokoto and Birno states are yet to start registration despite receiving directive from National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in August.
According to the IHR National Coordinator, “As at the time of penning this press statement, Niger, Sokoto and Borno States are yet to kick start the registration exercise despite having received the directive from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in August for states to begin registration.
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“We are aware that some executive secretaries of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards are yet to submit the 2024 Hajj reports to their Governors and as a result of which they are yet to get approval to start pilgrims’ registration from their Chief Executives.”
The CSO stated that based on the calendar for the 2025 Hajj released by NAHCON, the first tranche of pilgrims’ deposits ought to have been remitted to NAHCON, starting from October 2, for onward transfer to Saudi-based service providers to pay for tent spaces in Mina.
The CSO then expressed concern that some states were yet to start registration of intending pilgrims even when they were to have remitted deposits to NAHCON.
It further lamented the current practice of the boards getting approval from governors even after being given permission by NAHCON, describing the situation as a “peculiar federating procedural headache for Hajj Industry”.
“That the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards will need a separate approval from state governors to start pilgrims’ registration even after being given permission by the apex hajj regulatory body is a peculiar federating procedural headache for Hajj Industry that requires immediate solutions,” Muhammed stated.
While calling for the sack of any executive secretary yet to submit their 2024 Hajj report, the IHR informed that starting from today, October 23, Saudi authorities had commenced allocation of spaces at Mina.
“It is necessary to note that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj had on 23rd October began allocating tent spaces to Hajj participating countries that had made payments.
“Any Executive Secretary of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board who has not submitted their 2024 Hajj report four months after 2024 Hajj should be removed and replaced with a more competent person,” the IHR stated.
It then reminded state governors that the delay in starting pilgrims’ registration by states Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards is the underlying cause of poor services being experienced by Nigerian pilgrims yearly in Saudi Arabia.
According to IHR, “Late registration gives birth to late remittances of pilgrims’ registration fund to NAHCON, which affects the commission’s inability to make payments to Saudi-based service providers as at when due to enable them to make adequate preparations to provide efficient services to our dear pilgrims.
“State administrative bureaucracies are causing serious disruptions to the implementation of the Hajj calendar and something needs to be done to tinker with the NAHCON Establishment Act 2006, to allow pilgrims from states to start early registration without having to wait for the approval of state chief executives.
“Hajj is a global affair in which over 162 participating countries are expected to implement a uniform calendar released yearly as released by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj to serve as a guiding map for pre-Hajj preparations.”
