Hajj: You can’t open new bid without closing 2024 books, Operators slam NAHCON

.…Say its members’ debt must be settled before any action on 2025 Hajj
…Hail Tinubu’s support for Nigerian Pilgrims

By Chris Ochayi

The Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria, AHUON, yesterday, expressed concerns over the continued delay by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, to close the books of 2024 Hajj from the tour operators perspective.

The Association raised the concerns in the communique issued after its 2nd Annual Zonal Conferences with the theme: “HAJJ REFORM: THE POSITION OF AHUON, held in Lagos and Kano States, which climaxed with the grand conference in Abuja on the 28th of August 2024.

AHUON said effect of none close of books includes refunds of all monies owed its members by the Commission before the opening of a new Bid for Hajj 2025.

The communique said, “Members were therefore unanimous in calling for a stay of action on the Bidding for the 2025 Hajj license until NAHCON reconcile its accounts with the Tour Operators and pay all refunds outstanding, including the 2023 and 2024 caution deposits and those of services not rendered over the years.”

The communique signed by the AHUON’s National President, Abdullateef Yusuf Ekundayo, said, “It found it appalling, the refusal of the NAHCON to respond to the Association’s plea to intervene on the issue of epileptic Umrah visa regime from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj.

“The issue at stake calls for direct government intervention, but to our dismay, the Commission has not acknowledged the receipt of our letter stating our demands”, it noted

According to it, “The conference appreciates the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of His Excellency, the president and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed
Tinubu GCON for its support to the Nigerian Pilgrims and urge it to
always extend such goodwill to Nigerian Pilgrims under the private Tour Operators too.

“There was unanimity by all attendants at the conferences that the current NAHCON Acts is obsolete and cannot stand the test and demands of modern Hajj management particularly as envisioned by the vision 2030 reforms of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“The conference, therefore, called for the immediate amendments of the Act.

“The conference agreed that the future of Hajj belongs to the private Tours Operators as it’s obtainable in the other climes. Therefore, going further any attempts to review the NAHCON act should capture the private sector initiatives led by AHUON, and its members should have representations On the NAHCON Board.

“Members frown at the practice where Tour Operators’ allocation is been shared with other agencies of government against the good
intentions of the Ministry of Hajj in promoting private sector
participation in Hajj.

“It therefore call upon the Commission to refrain from further encroachment on the 20,000 slots allocation to the private Tour companies. The slots are meant for our members and should always be applied as such.

“There was a popular demand at the conference for change of the service provider (Ithra AlKhair) that has remained a perennial failure in providing optimum service to our pilgrims over the years or in the
alternative, the engagement of multiple service providers as it’s being practiced by other countries.

“AHUON was charged by participants at the conference to imbibe professionalism and aspire for charter status to enable it consolidate on current achievement of ridding the industry of quackery.

“Participants at the conference also advocate for the review and
amendments of the Association’s constitution in line with standard
practices and good governance.

“The conference further calls on all members of the Association to
uphold virtues and decorum in their dealings with pilgrims, who are
the guests of Allah. The era of dirty and sub-standard service to pilgrims as well as individualistic approach to the business is over. It was agreed that the best way to succeed in our business today and in the future is via consolidation and cooperation among members. The conference encouraged merger amongst members for effective
operations.

‘Finally, the conference recognizes the need for the Association to have a dedicated carrier to ease the perennial difficulties in the airlift of pilgrims. ”

Participants at the different forum accepted the NEC’s proposal to introduce Flyadeal in the airlift of our members’ Pilgrims for the Umrah and Hajj, considering the success of their operations during the 2024 Hajj operations.

Highlights of the conference was the unveiling of Association’s new logo at the event which signifies a dawn of a new era and readiness of the Association for the Hajj reform.