Vice President Kashim Shettima has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for a successful 2023 hajj operations in spite of many challenges faced by the commission.
Shettima gave the commendation Wednesday when he received briefing from the management of NAHCON led by the chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
“We have to offer praises to Allah for the successful conduct of 2023 hajj, in spite of harsh conditions faced by people in the Saudi Arabia occasioned by the climate change and other factors.
“The temperature rose to unimaginable level, though Nigeria was not the only country affected by the effect of the climate change,” he said.
While commiserating with the families of the 29 pilgrims who died during the 2023 hajj, Shettima urged the commission “to learn lessons from the last Hajj operations and gird our loins and make efforts to address all the short comings in the upcoming hajj operations.”
The Vice President also stressed the need for the commission ensure that the welfare of the pilgrims is at the core of the pilgrimage and of topmost priority.
Emphasizing the need to develop a robust mechanism to curtail the challenges faced by the people, Shettima said “it is absolutely essential that we review this mechanism and make it practical and effective to give us maximum success in managing the hajj operations from year to year.”
On the problem of the volatility of the exchange rate on the commission’s finances which was caused by the unification of the different forex windows, the Vice President advised the management of NAHCON to be proactive as it prepares for the future.
“You have to rigorously review your exchange rate and come up with a much more acceptable figure,” he said.
He said NAHCON must also educate pilgrims on their rights in the Saudi Arabia by making use of the social media platforms and other traditional media to enhance their visibility.
Earlier in his presentation, chairman of NAHCON Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan said the last hajj exercise was successful largely due to the prompt airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, the provisions of accommodation to pilgrims, feeding and efficient medical services at all phases of the hajj activities.
