Hajj: Nigeria, Ghana to collaborate on service delivery

Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to collaborate on improved service delivery to pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, made this known when he received the Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board and Presidential Coordinator, Ben Banda on a familiarisation visit to the commission’s Makkah Office.

Hassan emphasised that cooperation between the two countries would help address the challenges of accommodation and service delivery under the Company of Mutawifs of African Non –Arab countries.

The NAHCON boss said that the commission was willing to share her experience and cooperate with the board to achieve its goal of serving the Guests of Allah.

He stated that the long years of experience by the commission, puts her in a good stead to play a leading role in exploring and harnessing the potentials of the African Continent.

This, according to him, will be achieved through the commission’s Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS) and the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) that were designed to provide expertise to African Hajj Missions in Financial Management and Human Capital Development.

“Our doors are open for you in our Hajj institute to train your manpower needs and acquisition of knowledge for your Hajj administrators,” he said.

Earlier, Banda sought for closer collaboration with the NAHCON to foster brotherly relationship between the two countries.

While praising NAHCON for its pace setting roles, he stated that the Ghana Hajj board has come to learn and drink from NAHCON’s deep well of knowledge and experience it acquired over the years.

” We are here knowing your history and what you have accomplished. We therefore deem it appropriate to visit you so that we could learn and share from your experience.  We have come here to have first-hand idea and experience from our big brother Nigeria in Hajj Management.

“It is gratifying that in spite of your schedule, you gave us your time to receive us. We believe that whatever knowledge we acquire from you will bring more improvement in our Hajj management and process.”

Banda was accompanied on the visit by other members of the Ghana board.

Also present to receive the delegation are Alhaji Abdullahi Hardawa, NAHCON’s Commissioner Operations, Inspectorate and Licencing (OIL), Alhaji Nura Yakasai, Commissioner, Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance (PPMF), Sheikh Suleiman Momoh, Commissioner, Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS) and other members of the NAHCON Management team.

(NAN)