National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON and the Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, have agreed to deepen the economic cooperation between them.
The agreement, according to a statement signed by the NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, was reached at a meeting by officials of the two organisations, held on Wednesday at the headquarters of IsDB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at the meeting, the chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, stressed the need for support and intervention of the bank in the areas of employment of Nigerians into the organisation and seasonal slaughtering job, capacity-building, and facilitating the full take off of Hajj Institute of Nigeria, HIN and supply of medical equipment to the clinics.
“Nigeria, as one of the Muslim populated country, we requires your support in poverty reduction efforts.
“Specifically, we want your intervention in the employment of Nigerians into the seasonal livestock slaughtering during the Hajj and distribution of Hajj meat to Nigerians. In the same way, we need your assistance in capacity building of our staff and supply of instructional and medical equipment for the Hajj Institute of Nigeria, HIN and clinic,” he stated.
In his remarks, the Deputy Coordinator General of IsDB, Dr. Umar Adiya, said that Nigeria has always been part of the bank’s partner and would be accorded a place of priority, adding that the commission’s request falls within the bank’s ambit.
He, however, stressed the need to explore sustainable future of Hadaya project if the bank must serve the purpose of its establishment.
“If we must guarantee the future of Hadaya project, then NAHCON must strive to support and encourage pilgrims to participate and key into the scheme to sustain it,” Adiya advised.
While acknowledging the existence of “black market” as posing danger to the scheme, he explained that the only way to win the fight against them is through education.”
He said: “The black market activities have been detrimental to the scheme. I know, but while they cannot be eliminated totally, education is the tool to fight them.”
