The Independent Hajj Reporters Media Monitoring Team has observed significant gaps between the expectations of pilgrims and the services eventually provided in some critical areas.
The Civil Society Organization links this assertion to its assessment of the just concluded Hajj operations in Mina and Arafat.
IHR in a report e-signed by the Chairman, Monitoring Team, Nasiru Lawal, made the observation, covering the feeding, pilgrims welfare, official presence, orientation and hadaya services at Mina and Arafat.
On feeding services in Mina, the monitoring team said it observed that the distribution of meals in Mina was not adequately coordinated, adding that while some camps received their meals early, others experienced considerable delays.
“Although the approved quantity of meals was largely maintained, the quality of food supplied in some instances fell below acceptable standards” IHR alleged.
Consequently, it called for refunds to be made to states where meal supplies were either missed entirely or where the quality of food provided did not meet approved standards for pilgrims.
For pilgrims’ welfare and official presence, the team reported that it observed a shortage of officials in some state pilgrims’ tents, with many officials virtually unreachable during visits by the monitoring team.
IHR noted that while some states’ officials adorn their uniforms, others were dressed in ihram, making it difficult for pilgrims to identify and approach them for any assistance.
Despite this, the group commended staff of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria demonstrated commendable commitment throughout Mina, recalling that the Monitoring Team observed NAHCONs personnel across the Nigerian pilgrims’ camp, either attending to pilgrims or assisting in the distribution of meals with their official uniforms.
On the conduct of pilgrims and their religious orientation, the IHR monitoring team based its observations from some random tents in Mina.
Meanwhile, the group has recommended that NAHCON and State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards should introduce mandatory lectures on discipline, moral values, and expected religious conduct before pilgrims proceed to Mina, affirming that such orientation would help strengthen adherence to the spiritual objectives of Hajj and promote better behaviour amongst the pilgrims.
On Hadaya (Animal Sacrifice), the IHR Media Monitoring expressed concern about the lack of transparency surrounding the conduct of Hadaya (animal sacrifice) for Nigerian pilgrims, saying there appears to be no clear regulatory framework governing the collection of payments and implementation of the exercise, leaving many pilgrims vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous officials.
IHR recalled that while some states successfully conducted the Hadaya exercise and established committees to supervise its implementation, others merely collected payments from pilgrims without providing any verifiable evidence that the sacrifice was carried out.
The group therefore advised NAHCON, in its oversight capacity, to develop and enforce a standard framework for the collection of payments and implementation of Hadaya in future Hajj operations, assuring that this will enhance transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the process.
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