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Hajj: CSO lauds NAHCON’s selection of new Saudi-based service provider
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A faith-based civil society organization, CSO that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for selecting a different Saudi-based Hajj service provider for the 2025 Hajj season.
It said the decision would create healthy competition among service providers interested in efficiently, qualitatively, and satisfactorily serving Nigerian pilgrims.
The CSO, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and made available to our correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, said the quest for improved Hajj services has been a major challenge for Nigerian pilgrims owing to the repeated failure of providing satisfactory services.
”We applauded the decision to pick another service provider that will cater for the needs of pilgrims within the Masha’ir areas during the five days of Hajj,” he said
The national coordinator, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to monitor the pre-Hajj arrangements, said available information shows that the new company, Mashariq Al Dhahabia, is an experienced provider that has served top-rated Hajj countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, and ranked among the top five Hajj service providers by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
“The company served 249 706 which is the largest number of Hajj pilgrims during the 2023 hajj. They were awarded as the Best Hajj Service Providers during the 2022 Hajj by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” he stated.
IHR said it further understood that NAHCON is planning to recruit another service provider to provide services for very important personalities, VIP pilgrims so as not to repeat the experience of previous years, which is also a desired step forward.
It, however, urged NAHCON to set a parameter of performance for the newly selected service providers to serve as a baseline for determining continuous patronage, advising that such criteria should be based on pilgrims’ satisfaction and adherence to contractual terms.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The ex-Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Professor Tom Adaba is dead.
The veteran journalists died on Saturday peacefully in Abuja.
The late Adaba was born in July 2nd, 1941
According to Chief Adinoyi Joe Anivasa JP, Secretary Egbira Elders Forum Abuja on Saturday stated as follows, “I feel sad to inform you that our elder and Leader, Prof Tom A Adaba just answered the call of nature by giving up his ghost to the Lord this morning.
“Further details about his burial arrangements would be communicated later.
“We thank God for his life. May God have mercy on his shortcomings and grant his soul eternal peaceful rest in His Heavenly Kingdom, Amen.
He was the first Nigerian (between 1988 and 1992) to be honoured as president of the African Council for Communication Education.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Osun State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has pulled out from the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, citing concerns over inadequate security arrangements for the polls.
Adebayo Bello, the State Chairman of LP, made the announcement on Friday in Osogbo, explaining that the party could not participate in the election due to the lack of proper security measures put in place by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC). He further called for the postponement of the election for one to two months, urging the electoral body to address the security issues and resolve any legal complications before proceeding with the poll.
Bello stated, “We believe that postponing the election will give OSSIEC enough time to ensure proper preparations and guarantee a secure environment for the voters and candidates.”
In support of this position, one of the party’s chairmanship candidates, Oyebode Babalola, expressed deep concerns over the potential disruption of the election. Babalola emphasized that although the party was fully prepared for the election, it could not risk participating under the current security circumstances.
“We have seen troubling signs that the election might be disrupted, and we are not willing to put the lives of our supporters and citizens in danger,” Babalola explained. He echoed the call for the election to be postponed, stressing the need for sufficient security to safeguard the election process.
As the party withdraws from the election, it remains to be seen how the situation will affect the overall election planning and whether the authorities will heed the call for a postponement.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has cast his vote at Unit 9, Ward 2, in Ede North Local Government Area, marking an early start to the election process at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
This comes amid growing concerns over potential unrest during the poll, which has been contentious.
Despite warnings from the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and calls from the Nigeria Police Force for the suspension of the election due to the anticipated security challenges, the election proceeded as planned.
The Labour Party also expressed its decision to pull out of the exercise, citing concerns over the safety of its agents.
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