Month: April 2023

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has explained why it fixed different hajj fares for various states of the federation.

The Deputy Director, Information and Publication of NAHCON, Mousa Ubandawaki, made the clarification in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

He said for over two months, the commission had been working to ensure that the fare did not spiral out of the reach of average Nigerian Muslims, especially against the backdrop of the global economic crisis, bourgeoning inflation, and the depreciation of the naira against the dollar in the forex market.

He said that since the announcement of the final hajj fare for Nigerian pilgrims by the NAHCON boss, Zikrullah Hassan, a varied limited number of people have been asking questions about why the pilgrims from the states of the federation would have to pay different fares from the same country.

Thank goodness that the commission was able to keep the price below N3 million against all these odds.

” At the inception of the screening of airlines for this year’s Hajj, the commission, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), was made aware that tickets for air travel, including the chartered flight that Hajj carriers charge, is influenced by the nautical mile the aircraft covers.

” It is the reason why the air ticket for Maiduguri and Yola departure is much lower than all the other Northern states as well as Southern Nigeria due to its proximity to Saudi Arabia.

He said that while pilgrims from those two airports spent less than four hours to Saudi Arabia, those from other regions of the North and Southern states spend five or more hours to the same destination.

According to him, the other reason is the price and location of accommodation in Makkah.

He said that it was a known fact that some States Pilgrims Welfare Boards, with their large contingent, needed a more expansive house or building to accommodate some of their pilgrims while some others may not need as much.

The deputy director stated that in sourcing for accommodation, the various states subscribed to accommodation that suited their needs and capacity.

He said that under the NAHCON’S Act and policy as a regulator, its job was to ensure that the states complied with the benchmark and the standard of accommodation was commensurate with the fare charged.

” This is to ensure compliance with the rule and philosophy, the commission was at the forefront of monitoring and supervising the negotiation process of the accommodation prices.

” More often than not, it rejected any price it considered skyrocketing, even when it has already been agreed upon by the state and the building owner.

” This is with the sole objective of making sure that the asking price is commensurate with the quality of the accommodation.

” Unfortunately, at this time, it is the sellers’ market, wherein demand is higher than the supply due to the ongoing urban redevelopment in Makkah which has seen so many buildings giving way to urban renewal.

” This is coupled with the lifting of the cap on allocation to all countries, thus, expanding the attendance from less than one million in 2022 to three million this year, thereby putting more pressure on the existing accommodation market.

Ubandawaki also said that the other reason why the fare was different from state to state had to do with the local charges by the different state pilgrims as administrative charges, uniforms and registration fees.

He explained that transportation shuttle for some state pilgrims who had to engage shuttle buses to transport their pilgrims to departure centres which more often than not were located in another state.

” These charges varied from state to state; for instance, pilgrims from Zamfara had to be transported to Sokoto for their flight. Same thing with Osun pilgrims who must be moved to Lagos for their transportation.

” As I stated earlier, the role of NAHCON in this is limited to fixing a cap on the amount that could be charged by states.

” Thus, while states charge as little as N10,000, some others charge as much as N20,000.

“It is these instances that were responsible for the different Hajj fare announced for each state. It has nothing to do with the political economy of the states.

Ubandawaki, who acknowledged the sacrifice made by prospective pilgrims to fulfill the religious obligation, promised that the commission would continue to do everything to ensure that pilgrims got value for money.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

By May 21, the inaugural flight of Hajj 2023 from Nigeria will commence with the first batch of intending pilgrims answering the call of God to perform the fifth and last religious rituals of Islam.

The pilgrims are referred to as guests of Allah for obeying the religious injunction and leaving the comfort of their homes, families and businesses to achieve that one aim to please Allah alone.

Jabir reported the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as saying that, “The pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah are the guests of Allah. He called them and they answered Him. They ask from Him and He gives them.”

Some of the major challenges faced by pilgrims before travelling and while at the two Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are that of accommodation, transportation and feeding.

These recur because of a number of combining factors involving the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), states and FCT Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Boards, as well as licenced tour operators. These bodies are solely responsible for pilgrims welfare, and are expected to address the problems, given the fact that the pilgrims had fully paid for these services.

A number of measures have been taken after the lifting of the two years ban on the pilgrimage due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic across the globe. First, the number of pilgrims in 2022 was slashed from the normal two million and two and a half million yearly. It is assumed also that the number of facilities for the pilgrims were actually enough due to the approved numbers.

This year, however, the number of pilgrims expected to perform the Hajj has been brought to a record level where some officials were quoted as giving a figure of 2.5 million while others said no limit was set.

Reports have it that most places used for accommodation by Nigerian pilgrims in previous pilgrimages including the 2022 Hajj, had been demolished for renovation and therefore new ones have to be arranged.

Similarly, the case of transportation challenge is two pronged. The airlift of pilgrims from and to the Holy land do witness various infractions because of the lack of ability of states pilgrims boards to meet their allotted times for take-off. The pilgrims ultimately suffer these lapses.

Feeding also becomes a challenge for pilgrims because those charged with the responsibilities of taking care of it, encounter one problem or the other towards satisfying them.

It is gladdening to note that these are major issues being handled in the various stakeholders meetings between NAHCON, state and FCT pilgrim’s welfare boards and tour operators which started since the end of the 2022 Hajj. The meetings were held in the country and in Saudi Arabia, where the agencies undertook physical inspections of facilities for Nigerian pilgrims.

It is also gratifying that at the April 7 meeting in Abuja to announce the fares and airlines approved for the 2023 Hajj, representatives of stakeholders corroborated the NAHCON decision on a number of issues.

The Executive Chairman, Yobe Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mai Aliyu Usman, said all states were part of the decision taken by NAHCON on the 2023 hajj fares and choice of airlines.

He said that members of the various boards went to Saudi Arabia with the NAHCON officials twice, adding that all decisions and agreements were done together in the interest of the intending pilgrims.

The various fares for performing this year’s Hajj has also been announced and those blessed to perform it expects the best from stakeholders that majorly involves NAHCON and other parties at the states and FCT, as well as tour operators.

NAHCON announced eight different 2023 hajj fares regime for the Northern States and other parts of the country.

“The 2023 Hajj fare incidentally has eight different costs. Pilgrims in Maiduguri and Yola departure centres in the North East will pay the sum of N2,890,000 and this includes their 800 dollars Basic Travel Allowance (BTA).

”For the other Northern States, we have agreed that the cost is N2,919,000, we now move to South which has six different price regime, Edo State is N2,968,000 and the entire South-South and South East are in this same price regime.

”Ekiti and Ondo States N2,880,000, Osun state is N2,993,000 and Cross River State incidentally has the cheapest which is N2,943,000, while that of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states is N2,999,000.”

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, explained that the inflation rate both in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia as well as the scarcity of aviation fuel were largely responsible for the increase when compared with that of 2022 which was N2.5 million.

”However, NAHCON and the state pilgrims boards and agencies made several efforts in order to keep the fare at the barest minimum level, while also considering the economic feasibilities and reality of the situation.’’

He revealed that NAHCON and all the 36 states and the FCT pilgrims’ boards have reviewed the 2022 hajj operation and adopted strategies for a hitch-free 2023 operation.

”We have agreed with all having reviewed the 2022 operation to do everything that will make us to get every pilgrim that registered to Saudi Arabia in good time.

”We have also agreed that there will be zero tolerance for flight delay or cancelation this year and if there is such there will be sanction on the state or pilgrim or airline that is responsible for it.

”We have also agreed that May 21, 2023, will be the day for the inaugural flight for the 2023 Hajj”, he said.

With less than 43 days to the commencement of the inaugural flight, the meetings and agreements reached by NAHCON and other stakeholders in the country and Saudi Arabia, intending pilgrims and their families look forward to a commensurate treatment of the guest of Allah at the Holyland during and after the performance of the religious ritual at the 2023 Hajj.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Progressives Advisory Forum for Good Governance (PAFOGG), has cautioned against deploying the use of religion and ethnicity in seeking positions from the incoming government of the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The convener of the forum, Mr Emmanuel Nwosu, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

Nwosu said that Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion, voted for Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Feb. 25, presidential election for national integration.

He called on all leaders of the APC and honest supporters of the President-elect, to equally discourage and condemn those who want to use religion as a tool to get certain positions.

“It has come to the attention of the Progressives Advisory Forum for Good Governance (PAFOGG) that certain persons are now deploying the use of religion and ethnicity in their campaign to get position from the incoming government.

“PAFOGG wishes to condemn this very ugly and dangerous development and calls on all leaders of our great party and honest supporters of our leader and President-elect to equally condemn this reprehensible act.

“The opposition party which deployed religious and ethnic sentiments during the 2023 general election was roundly defeated by APC because honest and peace-loving Nigerians disregarded their campaign of hate and bigotry and voted for the Muslim/Muslim ticket,” he said.

Nwosu wondered why any member of APC would dare to use religion and ethnicity as campaign tool to seek for any position.

“Knowing how delicate issues of religion and ethnicity are in Nigeria, it beats one’s imagination that any right-thinking person who claims to be a supporter of APC and Tinubu will bring this ugly trend into our party to create bad blood and division among us when we should be celebrating our well deserved victory.

“The PAFOGG condemns in its entirety, the act of using these two very sensitive areas of religion and ethnicity to campaign for any political position at all.

“PAFOGG will not stand by and watch our hard-won victory turn to bitter war among our members and supporters who are desperate for political positions,” Nwosu added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Cameroonian foreign minister, Lejeune Mbella, on Friday said that all applications for entry visas to Cameroon will be done online as from April 30.

According to the minister, applications would be carried out “exclusively” through a dedicated website, www.evisacam.cm, after which an online visa authorization will be issued to the applicant.

The applicant can then go to either a diplomatic mission or a border post to actually obtain the visa, Mbella said in a statement earlier on Thursday night.

Mbella said for applicants in areas far-flung from a diplomatic mission or those not covered by a mission, “an online visa authorization, together with a QR code, shall round off the phase.”

The procedure will be completed within 72 hours from the date of pre-enrollment, or 24 hours in the case of express visa applications, the minister said.

“Cameroon’s e-visa system is part of an effort to turn Cameroon into a more attractive destination, while at the same time addressing some of the concerns of Cameroon’s diaspora and aligning our consular system with the highest international standard.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Labour Party state chairmen say they did not sack Julius Abure as Chairman of the party, insisting that he (Abure) remains the recognised National Chairman of Labour Party (LP).

The state chairmen of the party in Abuja took back the party secretariat which was alleged to have been taken over by thugs who seized and sealed the office on April 6.

Mr Ogbaloi Kelly, Chairman, Edo State LP, said that the National Working Committee (NWC) is a subordinate organ to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

“Therefore, when a faction of it is comes to take laws into its hands, it becomes a total nullity.

“Those who are taking this action are members of the party who have since been suspended, and as at the time they took this action, their suspension had not been lifted.

“Therefore, we are saying here that the 36 state chairmen have come to retake their possession.

“These miscreants who took over the office do not have the authority to control this matter, but we here have the authority and law to be in charge of the party and we affirm Abure.”

Kelly said that even the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) affirmed Abure as the chairman in their communique .

“We have come here to tell the world that the action of this faction is a total nullity and should be disregarded because the action does not follow the content of the rules and constitution of the Labour Party.”

Mr Cashmir Agbo, Chairman, Enugu State Labour Party, said that there was the need for party members to be guided by the rules and laws of the Constitutional provisions and the laws of the land and the party.

“The position of the party and the mechanism in the resolution of crises are very clear. In the constitution, you have to exhaust that mechanism in court.

“You go to court and obtain a court order and you want to enforce that order by yourself.

“What am saying in effect is this that they mixed criminality with civil process and the court that gave them that order endangered law.”

Agbo blamed the crisis on those that do not want LP to challenge the presidential election in court, adding “we are challenging the outcome of INEC’s result, they should allow the court process to finish.

“What they are doing is to enforce their will and distract and force labour party nationwide to withdraw the case in court.”

Agbo said that Abure remains the authentic Chairman of Labour Party in Nigeria and there was no body except the National Executive Committee that could remove him.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria