Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State has vowed to lead other governors to send a bill to the National Assembly for a review of the operation of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Bago who stated this in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, expressed his displeasure over the NAHCON ‘s handling of this year’s hajj, saying that NAHCON failed over 80,000 Nigerians who participated in the holy pilgrimage exercise.
“If NAHCON must exist, then they should strictly be a regulator but as I have told you, I am leading committees of Governors to the NGF, from there we go to the NEC, I will propose this motion, and we will send a bill to the National Assembly where issues of this NAHCON should be reviewed.
“NAHCON has no business in chartering of flights; it is not their business to feed the pilgrims because of the food.
“For example, I am from Niger State, if you allow me to feed pilgrims, I will be able to trans-ship foods that people are locally used to, to Saudi Arabia to feed my own pilgrims.
“I will be able to get a Kitchen that will feed my pilgrims from what they are used to, not to come and give them slice of bread or boiled egg and people are starving.
“We have different cultures; you cannot force the Arabian Cuisine on our people and that is why they are falling sick,” Bago said.
He also expressed worry over the number of Nigerian pilgrims that died during the 2024 hajj exercise which he attributed to lack of a thorough medical screening by NAHCON.
Bago said : “In my State, we lost two (2) in Medina due to their state of health and this is one of the reasons I am talking about NAHCON, because if medical part of the pilgrimage is handled by state, you will do your screening.
“You will see people who are diabetic, people who have underlying illnesses and you will be able to understand how you can transport them; but nobody does that because NAHCON is in charge.
“We lost two (2) due to medical issues and we lost another four (4) due to heat wave, in my state, and in Nigeria, I am sure it can’t be less than hundred (100) in general.
“This is not a good number and this should stop.
“Let state Government be able to do the right thing, screen their pilgrims, check their statuses health wise and even for those that are going to be coming for medical, let us understand where they are coming for medical, let us understand the type of medications they are taking; but nobody does that because NAHCON is handling it.”
The governor also stated that : “There is need for the National Assembly to probe these funds (N90 billion Federal Government subsidy to NAHCON for 2024 Hajj Operations.
“NAHCON is not helping matters. Our Federal Government is too big to be worried about Hajj operations, these are supposed to be Local Government issues and not even State issues.
“State government should be able to organize pilgrimage and get agents from the private sector who will do these things the best way as other vountries are doing it.
“People paid N8 million for these operations directly before even the subsidy and they got only $400, this is ridiculous.
“What is $400? Somebody paid N8 million to you NAHCON and you come and give them stipend of $400 to run themselves for one month?
“There is no reason why Hajj operations should last beyond two weeks.
“You bring pilgrims for 40 days; you leave them here, some 45 days, it’s ridiculous, because of racketeering in airlifting, in handling of cargo and other things.
“Let the private sector drive Hajj operations, Government should be a regulator, NAHCON should be a regulator at the centre.
“If NAHCON must exist, then they should strictly be a regulator but as I have told you, I am leading committees of Governors to the NGF, from there we go to the NEC, I will propose this motion, and we will send a bill to the National Assembly where issues of this NAHCON should be reviewed.”
(vitalnewsngr.com)
