By Salisu Sani-Idris
ASSOCIATION for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) says the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is owing its members over N15 billion. Its President, AbdulLateef Ekundayo, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
According to him, it is the practice of the Saudi Government after each Hajj operation to refund money to countries on three grounds.
They include services paid by pilgrims but not rendered, services paid for but poorly rendered to the agreed standard and tent security deposits.
“Our members are being owed all these categories of money from 2022 hajj to date by the commission.
“They confirmed in our meeting with them that they have received the sum of 20 million Saudi Riyals of such refund from the Saudi authority since December 2023.”
According to Ekundayo, the commission is yet to formally notify them on the money, adding, ”not to talk less of agreeing on the modalities of the refund’s payment.
“Even these 20 million Saudi Riyals, if not for the investigation EFCC conducted on the commission, we wouldn’t
have known that it has been paid since December, 2023.
“We only got to know through media reports, before they now confirmed to us at our last meeting.
“What stopped them from calling the tour operators since December 2023 to come forward to claim their money? They kept quiet.”
He said that during the recently concluded 2024 Hajj operation, NAHCON received and warehoused over N2.7 billion as caution deposits from tour operators.
Ekudayo said: “By our agreement with the commission, the funds were to be released two weeks after the conclusion of the Hajj.
“NAHCON has refused to refund any of the companies that applied for it, instead they are asking for more money as an increase to the 2023 Hajj deposit.
“From the year 2004 to date, the commission has attested to have held our members’ funds through several engagements example unused visa, excess payments and Umrah deposits.”
He expressed concern that the commission has not shown any sign of refunding such funds.
Ekundayo added: “In fact, our agreement with the commission to publish the list of the companies under this category since 2023 has not been met.
“It is worth noting that many of our members have passed on waiting for these refunds.”
The president added that for many years, some members of the association have millions of Saudi Riyals’ balances in their Saudi accounts (IBAN), which they can’t access.
“For over three years now, we have engaged the commission to facilitate the release of those funds to our members, but it refuses to do anything about the issue.
“Apart for the above refund issues, we requested the commission to accept Bank guarantee which their Act permits, in place of cash deposit considering the perennial challenges we have been facing with refund. It is worth noting that our members receive nothing as income from the amount we deposit annually,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAHCON has assured that it would address legitimate concerns raised by the association. The commission’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Mrs Fatima Usara, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
“While we acknowledge the issues raised regarding accumulated refunds, it is important to clarify that NAHCON has been in continuous communication with AHOUN on this matter.
“The delay in resolving certain financial issues stemmed from the complexities of Hajj operations, which involve multiple stakeholders, both locally and internationally, including Saudi authorities.
“NAHCON wishes to reassure AHOUN and the public that it has no intention of downplaying or neglecting the issue of refunds,” she said. (NAN)
