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The newly appointed chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Olakunle Hassan, has resumed duty.
FEED THE POOR
Feeding the poor and needy is an act that draws us closer to Allah. We earn His forgiveness, mercies and blessings through this act of charity.
“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah?s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night. (Bukhari)
The former chair of the commission, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, formally handed over to Hassan in a brief ceremony on Wednesday at its office in Abuja.
Muhammad urged the new chair to prioritize the welfare of the pilgrims.
Hassan promised to make hajj fare affordable.
Meanwhile, The Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) has urged the new management of NAHCON to address the challenges associated with hajj operations.
The group, in a congratulatory message to Alhaji Hassan, advised the chairman to look into the man-hours lost boarding of flights to and from Saudi Arabia.
“Similarly, the issue of accommodation in Madinah and Makkah needs to be seriously looked into. Many Nigerians still live at houses far from the Masjid Haram especially in Makkah. This deprived them in observing five daily prayers in Masjid Haram and engages in Tawaf (Circumambulation of the Ka’aba) as many times as they wish and also denied them of some facilities.
“Meal is another big challenge for pilgrims especially in Madinah, Muna and Arafat where NAHCON is in charge of providing meal for all the pilgrims.
“Mr Chairman, kindly take cognisance of diverse tribe going for hajj, hence choice of meals should not be generalised,” it said.