CSO to States Pilgrims Boards: Enlighten intending pilgrims on ‘limited time’ for Hajj Registrations
CSO to States Pilgrims Boards: Enlighten intending pilgrims on ‘limited time’ for Hajj Registrations
Independent Hajj Reporters, a civil society organization that monitors and reports hajj and umrah activities in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia has called on NAHCON, States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Agencies, Licensed Private Hajj operators to immediately begins mass enlightenment campaign to educate 2024 intending Nigerian hajj pilgrims on the few limited time allowed for registrations.
A statement signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed on Monday said “Nigerian intending pilgrims should be made to understand that the era of registering for hajj few days to commencement of airlift is over for those who want to be part of 2024 hajjis.
This called becomes imperatives because of hundreds of inquiries we received daily from Nigerian Muslims who wants to know whether hajj registration has commenced in their various States. This shows that most States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards did not undertake massive enlightenment to informed the general public on dangers of further delay.
As at today, there are less than 140 days to the opening of visa portal for 2024 Hajj intending pilgrims and less than 250 days to the closing of issuance of Visa. Specifically, Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will begins the issuance of visa on the 1st of March 2024 and it will be closed on the 29th of April 2024.
Consequently, Hajj missions includes NAHCON have been directed by Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to concludes all accommodation and Masha’er contracts latest by February 25th, 2024.
More importantly, Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has subjected the provision of tent space in Mina to early conclusion of arrangement by hajj participating countries.
IHR said there is no way NAHCON or states Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards could pen down any service contracts with service providers without knowing the exact numbers or near to perfect approximate numbers of registered pilgrims. This further shows how interknit and interdependent ‘timely registrations will have on the hajj 2024 arrangements generally.
Despite the obvious cramped and constricted time allowed for registrations, NAHCON and States Muslim Pilgrims welfare Boards fails to adequately and aggressively embarks on enlightenment campaign to impressed it on intending pilgrims to begins registration so as not to missed out during the upcoming hajj.
IHR said it extremely disturbing that only few states have so far publicly announced the commencement of hajj registration with little or no emphasis on the short period of time available for registration.
Signed
Independent Hajj Reporters
16th October 2023
No comments