The leadership of Muslim Ummah of South West of Nigeria (MUSWEN), the umbrella body of Muslims from the southwest region, has praised the Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan for a successful 2022 Hajj operations.
MUSWEN President, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, who led the 3-man delegation to Hajj House, Abuja, on Wednesday, for the courtesy visit, also commended the Commissioners and Directors of the Commission, saying that the success achieved by the chairman wouldn’t have been possible without their unflinching support.
“We’re here today on a courtesy visit to commend the chairman, commissioners and directors of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for a successful Hajj operations in 2022.
“We align with the Commission on the introduction of the Hajj Savings Scheme. We also laud the establishment of the Hajj Institute which is the first in Africa. We’re proud of you,” Alhaji Oladejo said in his welcome speech.
The leader of the MUSWEN delegation emphasized that the Hajj Institute is necessary to educate and train operators and service providers in the Hajj and Umrah industry to professionalize the services enjoyed by pilgrims.
Alhaji Oladejo further called on the NAHCON Boss for uniformity in regulations and sanctions against defaulters which he stated will help sanitize the Hajj industry.
Earlier in his welcome speech, NAHCON chairman expressed delight at the visit. While acknowledging the emergency nature and challenges of this year’s Hajj, he stated that it was a learning curve for the Commission and further announced that the Commission will commence preparation for 2023 Hajj in the next few weeks.
On the Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS), Alhaji Hassan commented that as a new concept in the country, it was bound to have some teething problems but expressed optimism that with time, the scheme would bring enormous benefit to the country in the nearest future as in Malaysia and Indonesia where the profits from a similar scheme had been used to subsidize the cost of Hajj for this year and years past.
He further reiterated that the advantages of HSS would not be felt by NAHCON alone but the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria.
He made it known that the Hajj Institute would formally be launched in three months’ time with President Muhammadu Buhari expected to declare the Institute opened.
Alhaji Hassan further disclosed that he and his Commissioners and some Management Staff of the Commissions would form the first set of enrollees at the Institute.
