The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has restated that the deadline for the remittance of 50 percent deposit of the 2023 allocation remains February 28, failure of which the affected state(s) would either forfeit their allocation or have it reduced.
The A.D, Information and Publications, NAHCON, Mallam Mousa Ubandawaki, said on Thursday that remittance to the Commission in this past week has been abysmal, adding that payment to service providers in Saudi Arabia remains the biggest assurance that Nigeria will participate in this year’s Hajj.
“Therefore, it is necessary to kick things off. By our calendar of events, final remittance to the Commission should be concluded by February 28 in order to conclude our arrangements on time, as we don’t want to give room for lapses,” he noted.
He implored the SPWB/A/C to cooperate with the Commission and ensure compliance with the directive in order to make the 2023 Hajj successful.
“While reiterating our commitment to all intending pilgrims to ensure that everyone who paid their fare is registered, we urge the states to respect the agreement on the distribution of Hajj quota on the basis of 60% for government pilgrims and 40% for the Hajj Savings Scheme subscribers,” he said.
Mallam Ubandawaki also stated that the commission is disturbed about cases of Hajj Savings scheme subscribers being discouraged or pressurised to withdraw or migrate their deposits from the scheme to the State Board, in order to be registered for this year’s hajj.
“It should be emphasized that under the 2023 hajj policy, 40% of intending pilgrims would be from Hajj Savings Scheme, while 60% would be from the government, pay as you go.
“NAHCON will like to assure all stakeholders that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that the 2023 Hajj arrangements and operations are hitch free,” he added.
