The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has cautioned caterers engaged to feed Nigerian pilgrims in Madina against rendering poor services.
The commission’s Head of Madina Feeding Committee, Mrs Bilqis Awah, issued the warning while answering questions from newsmen shortly after inspecting the kitchen of one of the caterers, on Friday in Madina.
Awah, who vowed that the commission would not allow any caterer to shortchange Nigerian pilgrims, enjoined the caterers to adhere strictly to the agreed timetable and menu.
She revealed that the committee had agreed with the caterers to make food available to the pilgrims for breakfast latest by 6.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m for dinner.
Awah said that the committee had disqualified one of the caterers that failed to honour the agreement with the commission and declared a ‘free food’ of another erring caterer.
She said: “We have deployed our members to monitor caterers in each hotel that Nigerian pilgrims are accommodated.
“One of the responsibilities of the committee is supervision, and once we receive the food, it is handed over to each of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards for onward distribution to the pilgrims.”
According to Awah, the committee before handing over the food to state officials make sure that the quantity and quality is good.
She, however, said: ”If the state officials are not satisfied with the food, then the committee will take immediate action.
“From the beginning, we started very well with the caterers. Though we have an approval of 10 caterers, but we cannot ask them to start delivering food to the pilgrims all at the same time.
“On our arrival, we held a meeting with all the caterers and thereafter inspected their kitchens and we became convinced that they were capable of handling the assignment.
“Out of 10, we discovered that six were capable of starting immediately and they all started very well.
”Unfortunately two days later, some of them started disappointing us by bringing the food late, which actually we didn’t take it likely with them.”