By Olugbenga Salami
In a bid to ensure smooth airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj exercise, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to a 65% waiver on aviation charges to the air carriers approved for the operations.
Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, who dropped the hint during the signing of agreement with selected carriers in Abuja, said steps had already taken by the commission to curtail drawbacks in the airlift once it commences.
Hassan also informed that to ensure a ceaseless supply of jet a fuel for the purpose of the airlift, NAHCON has made arrangements with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to that end, advising the management of the carriers to meet the company for briefing and perfection of the arrangement.
According to him, NAHCON has also been in consultation with aviation experts for professional advice, adding that the commission will remain in consonance with the industry’s advice in the interest and safety of Nigerian pilgrims.
Also speaking, the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu said his organisation had inspected all designated Hajj airlift airports for security and functional facilities.
Nuhu called on the selected carriers to adhere strictly to the terms and conditions of engagements, urging them to meet up with the requirements that would be spelt out in the agreements as NCAA was ready to sanction non compliance.
He lamented the issue of delay and cancellation of airlift as experienced last year, describing it as having replica effect on the whole operation and even affecting Saudi Arabian operations too.
Over this perpetual bottleneck, NCAA was earlier invited by General Authority on Civil Aviation, GACA to measure the level of effect it has on Madina and Jeddah airports’ Hajj operations. Hence, NCAA has laid down stringent measures to avoid cancellations and flight delays this year.
In another development, four local airlines out of the five selected for the Hajj operations have requested additional time before signing the agreement.
According to the airline operators, there was a need for them to carry out further consultations and calculations before returning to the drawing board to give consent on the contract, by Tuesday, May 9, 2023.
FlyNas, the Saudi based airline had however signed and indicated its readiness to start the 2023 Hajj airlift.
Meanwhile, 2023 Hajj advance team comprising selected NAHCON staff and few medical personnel are expected to depart the country on May 21.
