Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima Mustapha, has advised the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to carefully review its exchange rate to come up with more acceptable fare for future Hajj exercises.
This was made known by Shettima when he received a briefing from the management of NAHCON led by its Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, August 31, 2023.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Shettima spoke against the backdrop of the problem of the volatility of the exchange rate on the commission’s finances which was caused by the unification of the different forex windows.
Additionally, he advised the management of NAHCON to make adequate arrangements to take care of the pilgrims.
VP Shettima said that though hajj was a spiritual exercise, the commission must not neglect the well-being of the pilgrims throughout their stay in the holy land.
He added: ” The welfare of the pilgrims is at the core of the pilgrimage and as such the commission must give it the priority it deserves.
” The management must be proactive as it prepares for the future. You have to rigorously review your exchange rate and come up with a much more acceptable figure.
”It is absolutely essential that we review this mechanism and make it practical and effective to give us maximum success in managing the hajj operations from year to year.”
Shettima stressed the need for NAHCON to develop a robust mechanism to curtail the challenges faced by the people.
He equally advised them on the need to educate the pilgrims on their rights in the holy land by making use of the social media platforms and other traditional media to enhance its visibility.
The vice president said: ” And the Hajj Institute of Nigeria and Public Private Partnership Arrangements for Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri and Ilorin Projects.”
He also commended NAHCON for a successful 2023 hajj operations in spite of many challenges it encountered.
Shettima added: ” We have to offer praises to Allah for the successful conduct of the 2023 hajj, in spite of harsh conditions faced by people in Saudi Arabia occasioned by climate change and other factors.
