Nigerian Reps mandate NAHCON to suspend Hajj saving scheme

Nigerian House of Representatives has ordered the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to suspend the implementation of the Hajj Savings Scheme.
This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Aminu Ashiru-Mani (APC-Katsina) in Thursday’s plenary in Abuja.

The house ordered its Pilgrim Affairs Committee to investigate the Hajj savings scheme.

He also ordered the committee to review the entire agreement between NAHCON and JA’IZ Bank, its partner in the scheme, and report back within two weeks.

Ashiru-Mani had said that the scheme was established in 2006 with the intention of saving Muslim pilgrims for Hajj.

According to him, within two years of NAHCON partnering with JA’IZ Bank to help pilgrims save under the scheme, the client base has reached over 4,000 with no savings of N1 billion in the account.

He alleged a lack of transparency and accountability in the savings scheme.

According to him, if the development is not addressed, it will lead to corruption in the system and non-compliance with existing law.

The vice president of the house, Ahmed Wase, in his speech, explained that for more than two years, the pilgrims with intention had been contributing to the plan, but they could not perform the Hajj due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In addition, he alleged that against the act of creation of the commission, he was reaching into the background.