Pilgrims welfare: NAHCON mulls desk offices in airports

 

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has revealed plans to open new desk offices in some airports to ensure qualitative service to pilgrims.

“The desk officers will be there to ensure the welfare of pilgrims to forestall being treated unfairly and to enforce any policy agreements between pilgrims and their service providers,” NAHCON head, public affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara said in a statement, Thursday. 

She said the NAHCON management held a meeting with members of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators in Nigeria (AHUON) to address issues of relevance to their operations, explaining that, “Among the items discussed was the restructuring of zonal and outreach offices for convenience and necessity for them to liaise with the zonal and outreach offices in lodging complaints or seeking clarification.

“They were also briefed on the new desk offices to be opened in some airports. This is happening after seeking and getting approval from the airport authorities. The desk officers will be there to ensure the welfare of pilgrims; to forestall being treated unfairly and to enforce any policy agreements between pilgrims and their service providers.

“Additionally, the desk officers will be at the airports as liaison officers to support tour operators and solve minor problems where manageable.

“It was also resolved that the Commission will liaise with primary healthcare agencies to reserve COVID-19 vaccines for tour operators’ pilgrims. They were also briefed on a new data collation system for Umrah pilgrims, review of guarantor charges to one million naira instead of 5000 dollars as penalty for visa violation, withholding of caution deposit and other guidelines.”

Present at the meeting were the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, Commissioner Operations, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa, Commissioner Policy, Personnel Management and Finance; Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakassai, a board member representing Ministry of Health, Pharm. Zainab Ujudud Sheriff and other NAHCON members. 

Others are the AHUON president, Alhaji Yahaya Nasidi Suleiman, AHUON exco members, representatives of licensed tour operators, management and other staff of NAHCON. 

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