The House of Representatives has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the successful conduct of Hajj 2017 exercise, even as it advised the Commssion to improve on the issue of early return flights of pilgrims.
Deliberating on the report of its House committee on Nigeria – Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship and Hajj affairs, the lower chamber expressed the hope that the 2018 Hajj exercise would be better than the previous ones.
In a letter signed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani Omolori, the House of Reps expressed confidence that NAHCON had made a lot of improvement in the services and facilities enjoyed by the Nigerian Pilgrims during the 2017 Hajj.
According to Sani Omolori, the good accommodation of the pilgrims very close to the Haram in Makkah which ensured pilgrims staying close together within the vicinity of Haram for easy management is worthy of praise.
The Parliament also lauded the commission for the introduction and institution of National Medical Team policy which it advised, should be broaden.
The letter said: “that even though the National Medical Team Policy adopted by the commission has improved significantly, the arrangement should be elaborated further to make the medical facility accessible with ease and close to pilgrim’s accommodation.”
Other highlight of the House resolution includes, the roles played by the commission to curtail the activities of drug peddlers to the Holy land, saying: “the commission made commendable efforts to curtail the activities of drug peddlers and other prohibited items during the 2017 Hajj and should sustain the feat by more enlightenment of pilgrims.”
The report, according to a statement by the NAHCON’s Head of the Media Unit, Hajiya Fatima Mustapha, however asked NAHCON to find ways of reducing Hajj fares. [myad]
