The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has issued a directive to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) pilgrim boards, instructing them to remit a reasonable percentage of funds by December in order to secure the Hajj slots allocated to them.
This directive was conveyed in a letter sent to the Chief Executives of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Agencies, and Commissions by Dr Salihu Usman, the Director of Finance and Accounts at NAHCON.
According to Mr Usman, this call has become necessary due to the timeline set by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The timeline stipulates that every Hajj Mission intending to participate in the 2024 Hajj must remit their funds before a specified period.
Failure to comply with this directive will be interpreted as a lack of preparedness or lack of interest in participating in the 2024 Hajj. Furthermore, non-compliance will result in a reduction in the allocation of slots for that particular state.
The purpose of this reduction is to allocate more slots to states that have promptly completed their remittances but are still in need of additional slots for their pilgrims.
Mr Usman emphasized the importance of adequately funding NAHCON’s IBAN account by December. This funding will enable the commission to make necessary payments for various activities in the Kingdom.
In conclusion, Mr Usman called for continued cooperation and understanding from the states, emphasizing the need to work collectively to meet the deadline and ensure a smooth and successful 2024 Hajj.
Nigerian News Agency (NAN)
