The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Thursday assured Nigerian intending pilgrims to the 2023 Hajj of hitch-free operations.
The assurance was given by the commission during a visit by its delegation, led by Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, to the head office of the Saudi Arabian General Authority on Civil Aviation (GACA) in Jeddah.
A release made available to Tribune Online by NAHCON Assistant Director, Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki, informed that while expressing his appreciation to GACA for its support during last year’s Hajj, Alhaji Hassan restated the commission’s commitment to make the 2023 Hajj a smooth and easy one.
“Let me put on record my profound gratitude to the Authority for its understanding and support during last year’s Hajj and to assure you that with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) very early, we will do everything to make sure that the 2023 Hajj will record a resounding success.
“We are ready to organise excellent and successful Hajj. We are indeed committed to achieve that.
“Now that we have ample time and opportunities to plan and diligently screened the airlines, there won’t be room for complaints and excuses,” the release quoted the chairman as saying.
Responding, GACA General Manager on Hajj Operations, Engineer Nazim Pazhair, commended NAHCON for its unwavering commitment to uplifting the welfare and service delivery to Nigerian pilgrims.
According to him, “we value the role of NAHCON in Hajj management and we are happy that Nigeria has gotten back its allocation of 95,000.
“We hope that the commission will quickly conclude its screening procedure, so that we can begin the preparation of slots and schedule for the airlines.
“We are looking forward to a better working relationship during the Hajj operations,” Pazhair said.
He then emphasised the need for the two organisations to collaborate with a view to making this year’s Hajj successful, adding that, “we have obligations to pilgrims all over the world and we want all of them to perform Hajj with ease and comfort.
“It is, therefore, important for both of us to work with unity of purpose so that the pilgrims can obtain Hajj Mabrur.”
According to Ubandawaki, those on the NAHCON delegation included Nigeria’s Consul-General to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Mansur Abdulkareem; Commissioners in charge of Operations Licensing and Inspectorate, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa; Policy Personnel Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakassai and Planning Research Statistics Information and Library Services (PRSILS), Sheikh Suleman Momoh.
Others in the delegation were representatives of the Forum of Chairmen/Secretaries, President of AHUON, Alh Yahaya Nasidi; NAHCON Secretary, Dr Abdullah Kotangora and some staff of the commission.
In another development, the commission on Thursday sealed a deal with the car syndicate with the signing of an agreement by Alhaji Hassan
