TheCable

The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a civil society organisation, says the disagreement between the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and some Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards over the Hajj saving scheme (HSS) should be resolved.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ibrahim Muhammad, national coordinator of the organisation, said both NAHCON and pilgrims’ boards have not been able to work harmoniously over the past three years when the scheme was introduced.

Muhammad noted that the HSS was introduced to manage the planning and implementation of pilgrims’ affairs.

“Central to the cause of the conflict is the accusation by states that NAHCON is usurping their powers by registering pilgrims, while the commission consistently denies these accusations and points to the implementation process of the scheme as run under Jaiz Bank,” the statement reads.

“The issue has always been about accommodating pilgrims who paid their Hajj fare through the HSS. Many states prefer to register pilgrims who paid their fare through them before even considering those that paid through HSS. The result is that many are eventually left out, even though both HSS and pilgrims boards are from the state.”

The IHR coordinator said NAHCON and other bodies later reached an agreement to register 60 percent of pilgrims through states, while the remaining 40 percent was agreed to be enrolled by the HSS.

“However, some states appeared to have reneged on this agreement by refusing to register HSS pilgrims which led to NAHCON rebuking them publicly,” he said.

He said the Kaduna state pilgrims agency reacted to NAHCON’s comments on HSS inappropriately, adding that such a public attack was “unhealthy for the Hajj industry in Nigeria”.

“It is difficult to understand why it has become impossible for people entrusted with handling the affairs of the guests of Ar-Rahman to keep to agreements reached,” he added.

“At the centre of this, are the hapless pilgrims who choose to trust relevant officials and did as directed only to be denied the chance to fulfil one of the pillars of Islam.

“It is in the interest of all concerned that they should ensure they stick to agreements reached in order to find favour in the eyes of Allah.

“The pilgrims who paid their fare either through HSS or states must not be deliberately denied the chance to undertake hajj.

“We, therefore, call on relevant stakeholders to wade into the matter and resolve it as quickly as possible, to avoid causing further disharmony within Nigeria’s hajj industry.”