Jaiz Bank, others drive Hajj savings Scheme in Northeast, Southeast
In a bid to ensure widespread acceptance, the National Hajj Savings Scheme championed by Nigeria’s pioneer non-interest bank, Jaiz Bank has been launched in the Northeast and Southeast.
The bank explained that the launch would make it easier for all Muslims in Nigeria to go to Saudi Arabia to perform the Holy pilgrimage.
Jaiz Bank and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in collaboration with the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board of the respective regions flagged off the sensitization and awareness campaign in Adamawa, Taraba and the Ebonyi States, respectively.
The ongoing launch and sensitization of HSS have already been flagged off in parts of the Northcentral, Northwest, Southwest and Southsouth.
Speaking at the occasions, Jaiz Bank’s Managing Director/CEO Hassan Usman, represented by the Bank’s Divisional Head, Corporate Services, Ismaila Adamu said the National Hajj Savings Scheme is a significant milestone for all stakeholders in the hajj ecosystem in Nigeria.
He said the importance of the scheme emanated from the fact that right “from planning, funding to actual operations, the scheme has the potentials to positively affect every act and actor in the process.”
“With such a scheme in place, intending pilgrims that do not have the wherewithal can gradually plan and actualize their dream without stress by saving gradually.”
He said that even those who do not live long enough to complete their savings might still in “Allah’s infinite mercy receive the reward for hajj because they are pilgrims by bringing intention (niyyat) and action (amal) together.”
Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Barr. Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, who earlier flagged off the launch in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State and represented in Taraba and Adamawa States thanked the governments of the States for buying into the scheme.
He said HSS has several benefits amongst which is to assist the less privilege to save money over time to go to hajj and also to earn a profit on their savings.
He said, “You don’t have to sell your farmland to go to hajj as the scheme will make hajj fare affordable.”
Chairman, Ebonyi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Engr. ABBAS said the launch of HSS was significant as it will make it easier for Muslims to go to Hajj.
“You don’t have to sell your items to go to Hajj. Ebonyi has fully integrated into the scheme and ready to work with NAHCON,” he said.
