Gbajabiamila Criticizes NAHCON for Persistent Financial Irregularities

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadeija, have criticized the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) for its persistent financial mismanagement, emphasizing that such issues should not be associated with a religious institution.

Recently, NAHCON faced financial irregularities, leading to the dismissal of its chief executive, Jalal Arabi, by the presidency.

Gbajabiamila expressed concern over the situation, stating that urgent reforms are needed within NAHCON to address financial mismanagement, negligence, mistreatment of pilgrims, and delays in pilgrimage preparations.

During a fact-finding visit to NAHCON’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, part of their engagement with government agencies under the State House, Gbajabiamila and Hadeija also visited the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). There, Gbajabiamila suggested that states could play a role in funding NEMA through insurance schemes or other means.

On the NAHCON issues, Gbajabiamila said, “This commission should remain free from controversy due to its sacred mandate. It is designed to fulfill religious and spiritual obligations for people of faith, and it should not be marred by financial controversies.”

He highlighted the importance of Nigerian pilgrims representing the country well abroad and expressed frustration over reports of mistreatment and poor organization by the commission. Gbajabiamila stressed that the commission must take full responsibility for these issues and work closely with the Vice President’s office to correct past mistakes and ensure smooth operations for future pilgrimages.

Deputy Chief of Staff Hadeija supported this view, emphasizing the need for early preparation in Hajj operations. He noted that Nigeria, having the largest quota of pilgrims from Africa, must ensure efficient logistics and transparent communication about costs to pilgrims.

NAHCON’s Executive Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, Prince Malam Abdulrazak, called for an overhaul of the commission’s accounting practices and improved federal representation within the organization. He noted that the commission, described as a national entity, does not fully reflect the federal character in its staffing.