By Joshua Egbodo Abuja Th e National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has accused a service provider in Hajj operations, which petitioned it before the House of Representatives of being ignorant of how the Commission works. Counsel to Nigeria Arewa Foundation, Ibrahim Yusuf had in the petition, currently being investigated by the House Committee on Public Petitions, accused Chairman of NAHCON, Abdulahi Mukhtar Mohammed of some “illicit manners and conducts” in the 2016 Hajj operations.
Key among the allegations against NAHCON in the petition were alleged illegal deductions from the fees of service providers of between 50 and 70 Saudi Arabian Riyal as service charges, increase in the share capital status of participating companies with an intent to shut some out, and alleged plan by the Commission to increase transport fares of pilgrims among others.
Th e petitioner therefore prayed the House to ensure the NAHCON’s chairman is “reprimanded” over corrupt practices, be compelled to refund all illegal charges allegedly collected from service providers, as well recommend that the Chairman be suspended for a thorough investigation on the alleged malpractices, and for a level playing ground to be established for participating services providers. Mohammed, in his submissions before the Hon. Uzoma NkemAbonta’s committee yesterday, however, quoted the Act establishing NAHCON copiously , specifi cally sections 11 and 12 which allowed it to collect service charges, stressing that it acted within the law, and that “the petitioner do not understand the Act establishing NAHCON and our functions
.” “It is a yearly practice that we prepare our budget for income and expenditure, and this we do for the approval of Mr. President. So, this is a total misrepresentation and ignorance of the whole process.” On the alleged decision to deal only with companies which have minimum share capital of between Two million and Five Million Riyal, the NAHCON boss said it was purely a risk-guarding plan to ensure that only credible and reputable companies were involved.
