NAHCON ALLAYS FEAR OF INCREASE IN HAJJ FARES

Less than three weeks to the commencement of the airlift of Nigerian intending pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Saturday assured them that there will not be further changes in the fares paid.

NAHCON Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, gave the assurance at the opening of a one-day workshop organised by the commission in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah held at the conference hall of the Hajj House in Abuja.

The workshop, entitled: “Training and Capacity Building for pilgrims groups and Leaders in Hajj”, is part of the initiatives to train Nigerian Hajj managers on crowd control and management communication skills, information and awareness campaigns.

According to Hassan, despite the $250 increment imposed by the air carriers, NAHCON would not impose the extra cost on the pilgrims.

The increment, he informed, was due to the ongoing crisis in Sudan, leading to the closure of its airspace, adding that their consultations were ongoing to find a solution to this.

“It is true that the air carriers have increased the charges by $250 because of the closure of the Sudanese airspace. Though we are still consulting to find an avenue to address the increase.