• Cites underhand dealings and high-handedness by the management of NAHCON
By Musa Baba Adamu
The organized tour operators under the aegis of Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) have advanced reasons behind their opting out of the 2025 Hajj exercise.
It accused the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) alleged refusal to reform and be transparent in its handling of Hajj operations over the years of being behind its reason to abstain from this year’s Hajj exercise.
Private Hajj Operators under the umbrella of AHUON are traditionally allocated 20,000 of the 95,000 pilgrims every year.
AHUON, in a statement signed by Usman Ambursa, Haruna Isma’il and Ikrimah Muhammad, Vice President (Abuja zone), Deputy President (Hajj Affairs), and Vice President (Kano zone), respectively, and issued yesterday in Abuja, gave a detailed history of its struggle to enthrone transparency, inclusiveness and better deal for Nigeria pilgrims.
The Association accused the Commission of refusing to allow it choose its service providers of kickback they get from the providers, at the expense of a cheaper and better services to the pilgrims.
According to AHUON: “NAHCON is so greedy that it can’t let go, the 20,000 (tour operators’ allocation) because of the favors it enjoys from the competing service providers.
“The total number Is so intimidating and attracted several suitors who are ready to do any bidding in order to win patronage from NAHCON. It is in the public domain that gift items, high profile contacts, hotel rooms offers and other untold favors goes around by prospective service providers each time a new season is open.”
It also accused the Commission of shortchanging the pilgrims collecting different rates from them and giving less to the end service providers who must also provide services that would allow it make gains.
“Unlike what is popularly known in Nigeria where civil servants inflate contracts with the intent to defraud government or the public treasury, in the case of NAHCON they “deflate” the contract ironically. NAHCON signs contracts publicly and charges the innocent Pilgrims based on the amounts signed, however, it goes back and negotiates a lower service offering or accept same downgrade from the provider for a cut.
“We have the figures of what was negotiated last year and we know what we were asked to pay. But who pays the price? Same Pilgrim that NAHCON was established to protect is the one that bears the final brunt!”
It said beside these scenarios, there were others instances where the commission corrupt the process to the disadvantage of the country and its pilgrims.
“Apart from the scenario described above, only God Almighty knows the number of underground dealings taking place between NAHCON officials and some of these service providers. This includes commissions and after service returns for executed transactions.
“In fairness to some service providers, they are intimidated or cajoled to play along or they will bear the consequence in future operations. This practice is more obscure in situations where the services are being sub-contracted especially catering, which in some instance goes two layers down the ladder to the final caterer who provide the services.
“We saw recently how everybody turns out to be a caterer, accommodation provider and all other things you can think about including facilitators, in order to get a share of the Hajj cake.
“NAHCON has turn itself into a market place selling accommodation, brokering catering services and even selling tent A to VIP buyers.”
Declaring for what it stands to benefit , the Commission would never allow a transparent regime of Hajj operations, it called on the government to step in and clean the system.
“NAHCON will never allow transparent and open negotiation of Hajj services by a second body like AHUON (not willingly) because they know we know the components and that will amount to uncovering their secrets of many years.
“What happened this year alone is enough exposition that is seen only by those with discerning minds. We are very proud with what we achieved so far, and the struggle is already yielding positive results. The Hajj services fees announced this year is less expensive by over N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) than last year, this is because the Commission is aware that the tour operators are coming up with cheaper and more transparent deals, therefore, giving no room to inflate the fees. But what about “deflation”? We shall wait and see.
“We are business men and women of integrity and believe the current regime of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu as regards the free-market economic policies are supposed to promote private ingenuity and entrepreneurship in all facets of the economy, including Hajj management.
“Therefore, the government should compel NAHCON to hands-off anything to do with operation and allow open and transparent processes that will usher in competition, right pricing and best services to the Nigerian Pilgrims.
