FG tasks National Hajj Commission on timely airlift of pilgrims

Barely a month to the commencement of the airlift of Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2013 Hajj, the Federal Government has charged the National Hajj Commission of Nigerian on the timely and efficient airlift of pilgrims.
This charge was given by the Vice President, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, on Friday at the State House, Abuja, during a meeting to review the 2012 Hajj Report, recently presented to President Goodluck Jonathan by the National Amirul Hajj, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III.
The vice president decried the situation where pilgrims are kept in hajj reception centres for days without being airlifted to the Holy land, saying that the delay makes Pilgrims expend a lot for their upkeep, which they had not budgeted for, stressing the need for the Commission to ensure that designated airlines abide by agreements signed.
On the issue of Muharram (male guide) for female pilgrims under 45 years of age, the vice president directed NAHCON and other stakeholders in the Hajj operations to ensure strict monitoring to avoid last year’s incidence, where female pilgrims were deported, emphasising that violators of the directive be sanctioned accordingly.
Sambo set up a committee to bring up recommendations for urgent intervention to address immediate challenges facing Hajj Reception Centres, before the commencement of airlift of pilgrims on September 14, 2013.
The committee, which has the head of NAHCON as its Chairman, also has Executive Secretaries of the various state hajj organisations, the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Interiors and the Office of the Vice President as members.
The committee has one week to submit its report.
Sambo assured all stakeholders of President Jonathan’s determination to ensure hitch free hajj operations.
He advised State Governments on the need to always liaise with NAHCON and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding Hajj operations.
Earlier, the Chairman of NAHCON, Mallam Muhammad Bello, stated that due to the deplorable conditions and outdated design of some of the Hajj Reception Centres, there was the need to upgrade them to internationally acceptable standards.
Bello noted that areas of immediate intervention included accommodation, pilgrims processing halls, medical facilities and restaurants.
He stated that the Commission had put all necessary measures to make sure that the issue of male guide for female pilgrims was adequately addressed, adding that to effectively mange pilgrims’ hygiene, Environmental Officers had been included as part of officials.
Bello commended the various State Governments for their support to both the Commission and the pilgrims, especially as regards efforts at providing facilities for hitch free hajj operations.
Present at the meeting were the Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo: the Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero; the Deputy Governors of Niger, Borno and Rivers States and other stakeholders in hajj operations.