By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, and JAIZ Bank plc on thyursday, signed an agreement to formally kick start the Hajj Saving Scheme.
While signing the agreement during a conference in Abuja, the Chairman of NAHCON, Barr. Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, said that the agreement was designed to fast-track and press forward the implementation of the Scheme.
Hassan further explained that scheme was enshrined in NAHCON Establishment Act, 2006, as a contributory payment scheme for prospective Muslim faithful wishing to undertake Holy Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
The chairman, while appreciating the efforts put by past NAHCON leaders and formulators of the Act, however, stated that the agreement was a step toward securing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s license for the operation of the scheme as a full fledged model.
He said: “I want to salute the spirit and good intention of the formulator of the Act as well as the doggedness of the past leadership of the Commission_ Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello and Barrister Abdullahi Muhammad Mukhtar.
“They steadfastly made very significant progress to address and implement of the Hajj Savings Scheme through many study visits to Countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and uncountable meetings with relevant stakeholders to come up with this working tool.
“Today, we are launching the decade old innovative Hajj Savings Scheme which has been in the pipeline even before the establishment of the Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
“The launching of the Bank- led option is designed to fast-track and press forward the implementation of the Scheme. In other words, the event of today is, but just a stop-gap to secure the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) License to operate the Scheme as a FULL-FLEDGED contributory scheme”
The Managing Director of Jaiz Bank, Hassan Usman, also lauded the efforts put by both current and past board members of NAHCON, and the board and management of Jaiz for actualizing the scheme.
“It is not just because it makes sense as a bank but because it is set up to meet with the yearnings and aspirations of the Ummah in particular and Nigeria in general,” he said.
The Chairman of Jaiz Bank, Umar Mutallab, in a brief remark said that the “the agreement to signed is a significant milestone for all Hajj stakeholders in Nigeria.”
He said with the scheme, intending pilgrims could gradually plan to actualise their dream of performing Hajj.
