The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon Khadija Abba Ibrahim, has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 2019 Hajj. In the ceremony at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian Minister of Umrah, Dr. Muhammad Saleh was equally present.
The signed agreement allows up to 95,000 (same number with this year) Nigerian pilgrims for next year’s Hajj. Dr. Muhammad congratulated the Nigerian Hajj Commision for properly managing the 2018 edition of the yearly program. He equally shared his satisfaction over how Nigerians comported themselves over there. He then expressed that his country is willing to help in making the program more satisfactory for Nigerians.
Reacting to the Minster’s commendation, Honourable Ibrahim Kadija expressed the delight felt by the Nigerian government over the successful completion of the program. Khadija commended everyone who was involved in the planning of the program. She explained that the program was only successful as a result of adequate and timely preparations.
committee for Hajj MOU signing
Prior to the signing of new MOU, the two countries held some meetings to discuss technical issues. The Nigerian delegation had NAHCON chairman as its chief delegate while the Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia was represented by Dr. Hussain Naser Alshariff. Other Nigerian delegates present were NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management and Finance, Dr. Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim; Deputy Minister, Saudi Rtd. Justice Isa Dodo; Desk Officer on Hajj Matters, Nigeria’s Embassy in Riyadh, Alhaji Saidi Tiggi; Deputy Minister in Charge of Madinah, Muhammad Ibn Abdulrahman Albijawi; NAHCON’s Commissioner for Operations, Alhaji Muhammad Galadima; NAHCON’s Head of Inspection and Licensing, Dr Aliyu Tanko, and Alhaji Modibbo Saleh.
Saudi Arabia’s reps for the meeting were Representative of Immigration Department, Yusuf Muhammad An’namri; a rep from Madinah Emirate, Turki Barkai Abu Raba’a, and Manager in Charge of Hajj, Fahad Munir Alkhuthami; Umrah at the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Mazeen Ahmad Bazuhair, and a few others.
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