The Ghana Hajj Board and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NACOHN) recently held bilateral consultations in Mecca on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, in an effort to improve their respective Hajj operations.
The goal of the gathering was to promote knowledge exchange and learn from one another’s experiences as both nations prepare to successfully complete their Hajj operations in 2023.
The Ghanaian delegation, led by the Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, Ben Abdallah Banda, expressed the board’s admiration for the Nigeria Hajj Commission’s extensive experience.
Chairman Banda emphasized the importance of interaction and exchange of ideas between the two organizations to improve Hajj operations and services in their respective countries.
He said, “Considering your experience and the quantity of pilgrims you manage, our objective is to learn a great deal from Nigeria. Since you visited Sheikh I. C. Quaye, my predecessor, in Ghana in 2021, this is also a reciprocal visit.
Chairman Banda acknowledged the complexity of the Hajj operations but emphasized the value of continual development and expressed hope that the issues raised at these meetings will be resolved.
He gave details about the background and current role of Ghana’s Hajj Board in managing Hajj operations around the nation.
Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, Chairman of the Nigeria Hajj Commission, elaborated on the establishment and responsibilities of NACOHN.
He shared that NACOHN coordinates Africa’s largest Hajj operations, which ranks as the fifth largest in the world. Nigeria, with a contingent of nearly 100,000 pilgrims participating in this year’s Hajj, ranked fifth in terms of the number of pilgrims, trailing behind Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. During the meeting, Chairman Hassan revealed various strategies and policies implemented by NACOHN and expressed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with the Ghana Hajj Board for improved operations.
He also extended an invitation to the Ghana Hajj Board to visit Nigeria’s Hajj Institute, which offers training programs in Hajj Management. Alhaji Abdulahi Hardawa, a senior executive of NACOHN, expressed delight at the meeting, highlighting the significance of the two leading African nations sharing ideas to enhance Hajj operations. He suggested the possibility of forming a Pan African Hajj Union, encompassing Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries in the sub-region. Such a union, he believed, would provide a stronger collective voice to negotiate for improved services.
Board members Masaudu Osman, Abdul Aziz Haruna Futa, and Ahmed Abdulai Abu were included in the Ghanaian delegation. Senior members of NACOHN, including certain State Hajj Commissioners, represented the organization.
Both parties expressed excitement about the results of their collaboration and the prospects for improved Hajj operations in the future as the meeting came to a successful conclusion. An important step toward encouraging cooperation and providing improved services for pilgrims from the region and beyond has been taken with the exchange of ideas between the two African nations.
