21st March, 2018
The House of Representatives has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for curtailing the activities of drug peddlers during pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The House committee on Nigeria–Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship and Hajj affairs, while deliberating on the 2017 hajj report, said NAHCON made commendable efforts to stop exportation of prohibited items by pilgrims during the 2017 Hajj.
The Commission’s Head of Media Unit, Mrs Fatima Mustapha, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Abuja.
She said the House of Reps. in a letter signed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, praised the commission for the improvement in services rendered to the pilgrims.
Mustapha said the lower chamber also applauded the commission for the successful conduct of the 2017 Hajj exercise and expressed hope that the 2018 Hajj would be better.
“The good accommodation of the pilgrims very close to the Haram in Makkah for easy management was worthy of praise.
“The members of parliament also lauded the commission for the introduction and institution of the National Medical Team policy which it wanted to be broadened.
The letter stated: “That even though the National Medical Team Policy adopted by the commission has improved significantly, the arrangement should be elaborated further to make the medical facility accessible with ease and close to pilgrim’s accommodation.”
“The report, however, implored NAHCON to find ways of reducing Hajj fares.”