By Musa Baba Adamu
In order to prevent a repeat of shortcomings in service delivery observed during the 2024 Hajj, Mai-Hajj, a Civil Society Organization (CSO) , has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to begin early preparations for the 2025 exercise.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Group, Garba Ubale Dambatta, made available to Journalists in Abuja, Mai-Hajj recalled that last minute arrangements in the past had led to failure especially in areas of securing good accommodation for pilgrims in Makka, Madina and Muna.
According to the group, “non availability of toilet facilities at Mudzilifa, where Nigerian pilgrims were sometimes forced to queue for several minutes before accessing the facility after a long walk from Arafat, were largely due to lack of adequate toilets facilities, which can be attributed to lack of adequate plans during final negotiations with Saudi authorities.”
Mai-Hajj noted that other challenges witnessed during the 2024 Hajj operation in areas such as delay in inbound flights recorded in some states, poor accommodation in Muna and Arafata as well as inadequate toilet facilities in Munna and Muzdilifa, were largely a fall out of the late preparations for the exercise.
“In view of the need to achieve a hitch free operation next year, Mai-Hajj calls on NAHCON to promptly set up a monitoring committee of experts and stakeholders to swing into action in key areas of the operations such as aircraft selection, accommodation, transportation, security and Media for effective public education and sensitization in all areas of the Hajj 2025 operations.”
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