NIHOTOUR, NAHCON sign MoU on capacity building

LAGOS, Nigeria – The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on capacity building and training for staff of the Commission to enhance the performance of the Commission’s staff during hajj operations.

Speaking during a brief signing ceremony of the MOU at the Headquarters of the Institute in Abuja, Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, Director General of NIHOTOUR, said the Institute is poised to bring the wealth of experience of its staff to bear in offering high quality training of the commission’s staff for better service delivery during the annual Hajj operations.

He said as the nation’s apex travel-tourism and hospitality training Institute, NIHOTOUR will ensure that NAHCON staff get the best training necessary that will impact positively on their job performance and output and ensure greater successes for a hitch-free hajj operation.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikirullah Kunle Hassan, said it is the desire of NAHCON under his stewardship to deliver to the Nigerian pilgrims the best of services in hajj operations that endeared him to NIHOTOUR and has full confidence that the partnership will work successfully well for both parties.

Alhaji Hassan said Hajj operation is a Trillion Dollar Global business that should not be toyed with, noting that Nigeria is set to key into the economic gains and spiritual benefits of the hajj operations with maximum comfort and satisfaction guaranteed to all Nigerian pilgrims.

He said the Commission has been against the annual political jamboree associated with hajj operation whereby government at the three tier levels sponsor pilgrims to the Holy land, pointing out that it was a welcome development that since the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration such luxury and flamboyant financial extravaganza has been stopped and individuals are allowed to fend for themselves as a part of their religious obligations.

He pledged that the Commission will not rest on its oars but continue to explore all means and avenues that will ensure the successful and hitch-free operations of the annual religious exercise.

Present to witness the signing ceremony of the MoU which seeks to train and impact skills on NAHCON staff as well as provide a Staff Training Centre for the Commission by NIHOTOUR were management staff and officials of the two government agencies coordinated by Heads of the Legal Units of the Institute and the Commission.