THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has stated that the low turnout in payment of Hajj fares for the 2024 hajj pilgrimage will not affect its December 31 deadline as it would work with the number that pay.
In a statement by its Assistant Director of Press, Fatima Sanda Usara, it was noted that the commission made it clear from the outset that it was “prepared to work with any number of registered pilgrims able to pay the N4.5million Hajj deposit by the December 31 deadline.”
The statement was in response to a story by a national newspaper on Saturday, which disclosed how the high fare and early payment deadline would threaten the commission’s preparation.
Acknowledging the story, Usara said its chairman, Malam Jalal Arabi, had consistently stressed the importance of timely arrangements to protect the interest of those who have sacrificed and paid their deposits so that their chances would not be jeopardised by late remittance.
She stated that contrary to the notion of a dilemma, “NAHCON has completed 60 per cent of its Hajj preparations. The challenge lies in determining the exact number of those who have paid the fare, justifying the commission’s advocacy for the adoption of the Hajj Savings Scheme for better control and planning. This system would allow NAHCON and each state to track the number of intending pilgrims eligible for the Hajj season, project balances, and streamline preparations efficiently.”
She added that while some of the managers called for a deadline extension due to farmers awaiting harvest, others were optimistic about last-minute payments from business persons.
“Malam Arabi’s rationale centered on fairness and action in the interest of those who have paid. He assured that the fare would not exceed the deposit if not reduced, and had, therefore, urged state pilgrim welfare boards, as state-level Hajj managers, to remit deposits promptly,” she said.
