… Refund 2023, 2024 Tour operators deposits before 2025 licence bidding
Association of Haji and Umrah Operators of Nigeria, AHUON, has called for immediate amendment of National Hajj Commission, NAHCON, Act of 2006.
Unanimously, members of AHUON at its
Annual Zonal conferences held between August 19 and 28 agreed 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current NAHCON Acts is obsolete and cannot stand the test and demands of modern Hajj management particularly as envisioned by the vision 2030 Reforms of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
A communique issued at the end of the Association annual conference and signed by National President Alhaji Abdullateef Yusuf Ekundayo 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 .
AHUON, however, urged the Federal Government to always extend such goodwill to Nigerian Pilgrims under the private Tour Operators too.
The communique noted 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.
The conference further noted with concern the continue delay of NAHCON to close the Books of 2024 Hajj, from the Tour operators’ perspective. According to association this includes refunds of all monies owed its members by the Commission before the opening of a new Bid for Hajj 2025.
Members were also 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 conference 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.”
AHUON 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.
That 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 their pilgrims over the years or in the
alternative, the engagement of multiple service providers as it’s being
canvassed .
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.