NAHCON Counters False Claims: Hajj not a capital flight
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is observing with dismay how some media outlets, for whatever reasons, have persisted in campaigns of calumny against the Commission.
This was contained in a press statement by Fatima Sanda Usara, the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, NAHCON.
Despite several press briefings and press releases clearly explaining the reasons and solutions to hitches encountered during the 2023 Hajj operations, these vested interests continue to spread twisted tales through print, social, and electronic media.
In its commitment to keeping the press well-informed, NAHCON has consistently updated them about all knotty issues, even before they become obvious, with the intent of sparing intending pilgrims from unnecessary pressure and panic.
However, there are vested interests in matters relating to Hajj, which should not warrant the twisted tales being spread around in the media against the Commission. For the sake of further clarity, let’s address some of the difficulties encountered during the operations, even though the Commission has done so several times before.
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For instance, the role of NAHCON in the airlift of Private Tour Operators’ pilgrims resulted from popular demand by the Operator’s association when its members ran into difficulties.
As a responsible supervisor, NAHCON did not abandon the pilgrims when the transaction went sour; the Commission immediately made arrangements for rescue services to leave no pilgrim behind. This ultimate objective was achieved whether it came in a bittersweet form or either of the two scenarios. To insinuate that there were unlucky pilgrims with valid visas left behind is an immature fabrication.
Besides, NAHCON was well aware of the difficulties experienced by pilgrims as a result of insufficiency of space in Muna and, for that reason, resettled pilgrims whose managers agreed to move them to the extra space secured by the Commission from the Mu’assasa.
Yes, what led to the impasse with the chartered airlines is the usual late remittance of Hajj fare to NAHCON by those who should. For instance, most of Nigeria’s contracted airlines were not paid on time because some states did not remit their pilgrims’ Hajj fare promptly, despite strong warnings and threats by the Commission.
By the time most had made the remittance that would pave the way for payment to airlines, the Central Bank of Nigeria had suspended payments from or on behalf of all MDAs (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies) of the government. In fact, it took the direct intervention of the presidency to avert a more distressing story.
And until remittances are made on time, every NAHCON Board would always face the same problem of begging those holding pilgrims’ money to release it for proper and timely planning.
Thankfully, the newspaper report under focus, which centered largely on the challenges faced by international pilgrims, appreciated the efforts of NAHCON to address all these issues as a responsible regulator by coming to the rescue and taking prompt measures.
However, one wonders if the title of one of the articles inferring to the performance of Hajj as “capital flight” was not a deliberate tactic at misleading the paper’s innocent readers.
What is Capital Flight in private individuals spending their money where they want to? The clause may even be sending the wrong signal to Nigeria’s Muslim ummah. In simple terms, capital flight is the large outflow of assets or capital from a country due to uncertainties, crisis situations, or negative sentiments, which leads to fear of the unknown by individuals and business concerns, thereby making them transfer their capital to presumed safe havens. Is this what Muslims just did in the Hajj?
Can we, in good conscience, postulate that the desire by individual private citizens (Muslims) like their counterparts all over the world to undertake a religious obligation (ritual) using their hard-earned money amounts to capital flight?
Can we then say the Muslim ummah around the world is engaging in capital flight? I humbly believe it is a wrong use of the term, if at all it is not deliberately deceptive.
For the repeated time; the shortage of space in Muna camp was neither a NAHCON failure nor a Nigerian matter. Any serious journalist would be conversant with similar complaints by other Hajj contingents—some of whom have also constituted panels of inquiry to unravel reasons for the shortage and proffer recommendations. This step NAHCON has also taken with a call for a refund by the Company of Mutawwifs for African non-Arab Pilgrims.
The rising costs of Hajj over the years, highlighted in the article, are a function of the exchange rate as well as charges from Saudi authorities.
It is no mean feat not to experience hitches in moving 95,000 people over a stipulated period, especially under the challenges of the Sudanese war along the flight corridor between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
Just as stated by the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, some of the challenges were a result of organizational hitches from Saudi Authorities, which were beyond the capacity and purview of the Commission. As a responsible entity, the Commission remained resolute in addressing these hitches by constantly engaging Saudi Authorities to resolve the impasses immediately.
NAHCON will continue to perform its duties in ensuring a hitch-free experience for Nigerian pilgrims. It is towards this determination that the Chairman quickly set up a committee in the middle of the HAJJ exercise to identify and bring up solutions for immediate and future implementation.
It is worthy of note that the article highlighted the steps taken by NAHCON to address, in concrete terms, all challenges in real-time.
By presenting the facts accurately, we aim to provide readers with a clear understanding of the situation and dispel any misleading information.