The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has expressed worry over the delay by the Inability of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to make necessary payments to service providers in the E-Track system as required.
Based on the contracts signed with service providers in January last year, NAHCON was expected to make payments as soon as it uploads funds to its portal.
Sources in Makkah who craved anonymity told HAJJ REPORTERS that the Ministry has queried why the commission is yet to make payments despite having the necessary funds in its wallet in the e-tract system.
One of the sources said the situation if not quickly resolved may put Nigerian pilgrims in an extremely difficult situation during the forthcoming Hajj exercise.
HAJJ REPORTERS also spoke with some Hajj officials from the states on the reason for the delay in making payments and they confirmed that it is because the Chairman of NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh “is bent on cancelling the contract signed with an agreed Hajj service provider, Mashriq Al Dhahabia”.
“We don’t know what is happening but I learned that the NAHCON Chairman has instructed his staff to cancel the contracts via electronic portal and they are even going to Saudi Arabia again to sign another contract with an unknown Hajj service provider,” he said.
Another State official said the decision to pick Mashriq Al Dhahabia was a collective one by States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and NAHCON and that if there are any issues or matters arising, “it has to be a collective decision and that anything contrary will not be acceptable to the states.”
The contracts with Mashariq AL-Dhahabiah Company were electronically uploaded and reflected in various Saudi Arabian Hajj agencies platforms after a meeting held between the states and NAHCON on the 17th of January in Makkah.
Already, signs of friction have started manifesting between NAHCON and the State Muslim Pilgrims Board over the development.
We gathered that the NAHCON chairman called for a virtual meeting with the Executive Secretaries of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards on Thursday night but the state officials refused to join the meeting.
Attempt to reach NAHCON’ media units were not going through as at the time of filling this report
