By Rasheeda Yahaya
The Nigerian Senate has promised to intensify it’s overhead on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, and it’s sister Agency the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.
This was disclosed by the Chairman senate committee on foreign affairs Senator Sani Bello Abubakar in his office today in an exclusive interview with journalists.
Senator Bello who was asked on the measures he intends to take in resolving the ongoing dispute between NAHCON and the tour operators AHOUN, said, “Conflict between NAHCON and the tour operators is unavoidable sometimes because these are facts of life, but what is important is to resolve them”.
Bello said he hasn’t received a complain from the tour operators but believed that things can be resolved through dialogue.
“I haven’t received complaints from any tour operator till date, but from time to time what we normally do is to appeal to the tour operators and the commission to reconcile their differences”.
“The commission as a regulatory body has a very big mandate and tasks to ensure that the tour operators does not dupe any body, sometimes it is good to put more stringer conditions in order for people not to loose their money”
“I hope the association of tour operators will do their best to accommodate only genuine tour operators as members, possibly they need to raise the stakes and I hope the Hajj commission will look at it so that there most be some form of guarantee that when a tour operator does not perform, they will be able to refund intending pilgrims their money”.
“With the new leadership I expect some form of reforms that is my candid advise because many times people have payed their money but never gets to Saudi Arabia” he said.
On the issue of welfare, senator Bello said based on discussion with the previous leadership there was limited resources but hopes that with the new leadership now, the welfare will be improved if the resources improves.