News
Hajj Commission gives states ultimatum on pilgrims groupings
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has directed the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, Commissions, and Agencies to finalize the grouping of pilgrims into groups of 45 and complete data upload to the e-track portal by Friday, April 26, for this year’s Hajj. This directive, as stated by NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Information & Publications Division, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki, aims to facilitate visa issuance through the Saudi visa e-track platform and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s mandatory policy on Tafweej grouping for the 2024 Hajj movement.
In compliance with the new measures introduced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj operations, including the compulsory grouping of pilgrims into groups of 45, NAHCON emphasized that pilgrim visas will only be issued upon completion of a group of 45. NAHCON encourages pilgrims wishing to travel together to coordinate with their respective State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards to arrange group travel. It emphasized that these groups of 45 will undertake all Hajj activities together, from departure from Nigeria to accommodation and movement in both Makkah and Madinah, as well as Masha’ir activities and the journey back to Nigeria.
NAHCON stressed that this is the final opportunity provided by the Saudis to finalize all arrangements for group travel by intending pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj operations. After the deadline, pilgrims will remain grouped with their selected group members, and their visas will be processed together.
Dangote Refinery has announced that it will need to export 95-97 percent of its Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) due to low interest from Nigerian marketers. The refinery, which processes 650,000 barrels per day, revealed that only 3 to 5 percent of petrol marketers are purchasing its fuel.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, shared these details during an X Space session hosted by Nairametrics on Wednesday. He highlighted the challenges facing both the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Edwin explained, “I’m selling 2 to 3 percent to small traders who are willing to buy, while the remaining 95 to 97 percent has to be exported,” referring to the local sales of the refinery’s products.
This situation arises as the NNPCL’s deadline for adjusting the Dangote Refinery’s fuel distribution approaches without a clear plan in sight. It is worth noting that while Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has announced the refinery’s initial petrol rollout, its distribution to marketers is contingent upon NNPCL’s decisions.
The final sixteen teams for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia have been determined following the conclusion of the group stage.
In recent matches, Ghana triumphed over New Zealand with a score of 3-1, and Japan secured a 2-0 victory against Austria.
As a result, Japan has advanced to the Round of 16, joining the other 15 teams in this knockout stage.
The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The full lineup for the Round of 16 is as follows:
- Spain vs Canada
- Brazil vs Cameroon
- Colombia vs South Korea
- Mexico vs USA
- North Korea vs Austria
- Germany vs Argentina
- Netherlands vs France
- Japan vs Nigeria
The Nigerian Army has refuted claims of widespread resignations among its soldiers due to issues like corruption and low morale.
In a statement, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, dismissed these reports as unfounded.
A news outlet had alleged that numerous Nigerian soldiers were resigning because of corruption and low morale. However, the statement condemned these allegations as misleading and a deliberate attempt to create discontent and undermine the Nigerian Army’s reputation and the dedication of its personnel.
Major General Nwachukwu clarified that, similar to other military organizations worldwide, service in the Nigerian Army is voluntary rather than mandatory. This means that personnel have the freedom to resign following established procedures.
He explained that the resignation process allows personnel to prepare and manage their entitlements, including pensions and gratuities, as outlined in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service (Officers/Soldiers).
Contrary to the report’s implications, the statement emphasized that Nigerian Army personnel are highly motivated, and their welfare is a priority under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
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