Analysis: NTA Weekly NAHCON Programme “AS YOU ANSWER THE CALL’ AIRED ON 18/11/2019

by admin

 

By Abubakar Bello Kaoje

The package of 117 Episode of the programme contains series of the activities of NAHCON. The first segment of the programme ushers in the activities of the development levy.
For the sake of our numerous readers who do not or know little about the development levy. The concept of Hajj development levy was conceived out of the pathetic and deplorable situation our Hajj camps across the Country came into been at that time, the camps maintenance posed a serious challenge for the Commission and the Camps were already becoming inhabitable for pilgrims to use.
The Commission therefore could not watch helplessly and endlessly until the situation gets to a grind halt.In this direction, the Commission formulated a policy of charging the intending pilgrims five thousand Naira only (N5,000) specially for the development of these Camps, to promote other Hajj activities and to complement the effort of the government. The levy is built in and to be generated from the Hajj package fare. That is how the development levy policy came about, specifically during the year 2012.
Ever since, all the intending pilgrims through the years have been contributing and the proceed of the levy is safely lodged with CBN with main aim to safeguard it. The accumulating fund had been lying idle for all those years. When the current leadership of NAHCON, headed by Barr. Abdullahi Mukthar Muhammed came in 2015, effort was made to judiciously use the fund for which it was meant for. So therefore, the activity shown in the first segment of the programme is the real manifestation of the positive impact of the fund.
The programme depicts various projects at different stages of completion, across the Country. Some of the notable projects shown from the Hajj development levy are befitting hostel accommodation of five star hotel standards, the multi-purpose conference halls, the constructions of modern toilet facilities, Mosques, Clinics etc.
These projects when eventually completed will serve the Muslim ummah generally and the intending pilgrims who are the direct beneficiaries. Pilgrims waiting for flights can conveniently relax in a very conducive atmosphere without stress, all the enlightenment programmes, the seminars, symposium, conferences for Hajj activities could be staged from those Multi-Purpose Halls seen there. The era of pilgrims waiting at the camps under unconducive environment is gone, the Hajj Operation across some of our departure centers has no doubt moved to the next level.
The NAHCON’s head of development levy, Alhaji Mustapha Abbas is heard mentioning some of the projects which included the pilgrims’ accommodation, mosques and toilets. In the same vein, the NAHCON Director of Audit, Alhaji Muhammed Hammanjoda also revealed that the Commission is currently embarking on the Twenty-five of such projects in the six Geo-Political Zone of the Country and he said so far Twenty of the projects have been duly completed and is ready for Commissioning.

The other segments of the programme showcase the activities of the Commission in the area of training and the retraining of staff which is a necessary ingredient for staff manpower development. Two important annual conferences are shown. The importance of these types of conferences cannot be over emphasized as they provide avenues for Nigerian Hajj officials to share knowledge and experiences from other Hajj Stakeholders worldwide.

The two International Hajj and Umrah Conferences from London and Indonesia serve as forum where Hajj Operators meet to discuss extensively on Hajj issues from different Countries perspectives.

This explains why a very top Senior Officer of the Commission in the capacity of Director Administration and Human Resources, was the representative of the Commission at the Indonesia Conference, to share Nigeria Hajj Operation experiences with other worldwide Hajj stakeholders.

Other vital segments of the programme involve inviting any reputable Islamic scholar to provide and concrately explain any topical issue regarding Hajj.
This episode enlightenment segment is with the Imam Muhammed Sani who explains in details on how to properly conduct Hajj rites step by step.The Quiz segment referred as Musabaqa is also shown to provide readers room to participate in the programme and to keep the general public or the intending pilgrims abreast on some very crucial Questions and Answers which attract token gift just to encourage participation and attention of the programme by the audience.

Abubakar Bello Kaoje is a staff of Information and Publications Division of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria. NAHCON.

You may also like

Leave a Comment