Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to rigorously review its exchange rate and come up with a more acceptable figure for future Hajj operations.
Shettima made the call on Wednesday when the management of NAHCON led by its Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, briefed him in the Presidential Villa, Abuja; President Bola Tinubu recently returned the supervision of NAHCON to the Office of the Vice-President.
Shettima noted the volatility of exchange rate on the Commission’s finances in the wake of unification of the different forex windows and called for measures to address the issue.
He also advised the management of NAHCON to make adequate arrangements to cater for the pilgrims.
He said though Hajj was a spiritual exercise, the Commission must not neglect the wellbeing of pilgrims throughout their stay in the Holy land.
“You have to rigorously review your exchange rate and come up with a much more acceptable figure.
“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.
“The welfare of the pilgrims is at the core of the pilgrimage and, as such, the Commission must give it the priority it deserves.
“The management must be proactive as it prepares for the future.”
He, therefore, emphasised the need for NAHCON to develop a robust mechanism to curtail the challenges faced by pilgrims.
He urged the Commission to educate pilgrims on their rights and how to maximally use social media platforms and other traditional media to enhance visibility in the Holy land.
He applauded NAHCON for its various initiatives especially the launch of its Hajj Savings Scheme and for a successful 2023 Hajj operation in spite of the challenges faced by the Commission.
“And the Hajj Institute of Nigeria and Public Private Partnership Arrangements for Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri and Ilorin Projects.
“We have to offer praises to Allah for the successful conduct of the 2023 Hajj in spite of the harsh conditions, occasioned by climate change and other factors, faced by people in Saudi Arabia.
“The temperature rose to an unimaginable level though Nigeria was not the only country affected by the effect of climate change.”
He also commiserated with the families of the 29 pilgrims who died during the recently concluded 2023 Hajj.
“I urge the Commission to learn lessons from the last Hajj operations and gird our loins and make efforts to address all the shortcomings in the upcoming Hajj operations,” Vice-President Shettima said.
Earlier, Hassan said that the 2023 Hajj was successful due largely to the prompt transportation of pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to him, the provision of accommodation, feeding and efficient medical services to pilgrims in all phases of Hajj was successful.
“We are here to brief his Excellency, the Vice-President about the National Hajj Commission, our mandates, our scorecard and our challenges.
“As you are aware, the Vice-President is in charge of supervising our activities; so, we have a duty, time to time, to report to his Excellency about our challenges and about our plans as well.
“The National Hajj Commission is actually well prepared for the takeoff of Hajj 2024.
“As you know, there are a number of issues that have to be settled, primarily this issue of the exchange rate.
“Over 90 per cent of Hajj fare is in US dollars in the sense of the cost of the flight, the hotels, all the services being provided in the kingdom (of Saudi Arabia).
“So, all these are still being worked out.”
He said the Commission had already got the approval of Vice-President Shettima to start, in earnest, preparations for Hajj 2024.
“We will inform Nigerians exactly how we intend to key into the roadmap of Saudi Arabia so that our planning will be on time.
“When you plan early enough, it will lead to the smooth success of the operation,” Hassan said.
