2021 Hajj: Saudi announces strict conditions, allows only 60,000 pilgrims

Saudi Arabia has announced a number of strict conditions for the 2021 Hajj, which it says will be performed only by 60,000 Muslims globally.
The conditions, which were aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, include limiting the pilgrimage to only those within 18 and 60 years, who have not been to hospital over any ailment six months before the journey for the Hajj rites.
The Saudi health ministry said they are allowing overseas Hajj pilgrims for the annual event in July but it would be on a smaller scale compared to the pre-pandemic time.
The Saudi health ministry said 45,000 pilgrims would come from outside the country and 15,000 from inside the Kingdom.
A report from one of the multiple online reports, Siasat, gives the highlights of conditions as follows:
Key points for the Hajj 2021:
Only 60,000 Hujjaj will be scheduled to perform Hajj this year which includes local and foreign pilgrims.
Those performing Hajj must be between the age of 18-60 years of Age.
Those performing Hajj must be in a good stated of health.
Those performing Hajj must not have been in hospital for any illness within the past six months prior to travelling for Hajj. (proof Is required)
The pilgrims must have had both doses of the vaccine with a vaccination card provided by the individual countries Health Organisation / Hospital / Ministry. (proof required)
The vaccine taken must be on the approved list that is recognised by the ministry of health within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrims must quarantine for three days if they are classed as foreign pilgrims as soon as they arrive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The first dose of the vaccine must have been taken by the 1st Shawaal 1442. Note: This day has passed and was the day of the Eid Ul Fitr 1442.
The second dose of the vaccine must be taken by the 14th day before arriving within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The conditions of social distancing and the wearing of the mask and other precautionary measures will continue to protect pilgrims.

When a pilgrim arrives at their residence:
The pilgrims will undergo thermal screening.
The accomodation and hotels pilgrims will stay at must comply with the ministry of tourism, the ministry of Hajj, and other bodies.
There will be an implementation of precautionary measures to prevent crowding inside the rooms and hotels.
They will therefore provide catering services for every pilgrim in their room without the need to gather in dining halls and prevent open buffets.
All international pilgrims must quarantine for three days and will also conduct PCR Swabs at the place of residence.
Pilgrims will be educated that if they have symptoms, they are to go consult a doctor directly, in order to ensure their own safety and the safety of others.
The Hajj pilgrims will be dispatched in less batches compared to previous years in order to comply with social distancing. There will be meeting points for groups in all areas in fewer numbers compared to previous years.
All baggage for pilgrims must be disinfected & workers will be given the role to ensure this.
Security personnel have been assigned to organise the entry & exit of pilgirms according to the time allotted to them.
The protocol accommodation facilities

For Arafah
A bus will be specified for each group and a seat number will be assigned to each pilgrim during the entire trip, with follow-up on the implementation of precautionary measures when getting on and off the buses.
Pilgrims will not be allowed to stand during the journey.
Families will be allowed to sit together.
If a pilgrim has COVID-19 the bus will be disinfected and other procedures will follow.
The number of passengers will not exceed 50% of the total capacity.
In the bus, there will be an empty seat between each passenger.
Passengers must carry their luggage.
Food should only be prepackaged.
Preventing of gatherings and maintain social distancing.
The number of pilgrims will not exceed 50 per 50 square metres of the area of the tents.
Pilgrims will be provided with stones in sterilised bags packed by the organizer.
The pilgrims departure to and from the Jamarat facility must be scheduled so that the number does not exceed 50 pilgrims for each floor of the Jamarat facility.

For Al Haram mosque in Mecca
Pilgrims must have a permit to perform the Hajj from the electronic Hajj portal or via an electronic application.
Pilgrims must ensure social distancing and prevent over crowding issues.
Thermal imaging cameras are in place to measure the temperature at the entrances.
In the event of high temperatures or suspicions, the pilgrim will be prevented from entering and referred to the specialists at the Ministry of Health.
Carpets at Masjid Al Haram will be removed.
Stickers are marked on floors allowing 2 metres Social Distancing between pilgirms.
Food will be prevented from being allowed in the Mosque.
Educational lessons will continue to be suspended inside the Mosque.
Educational material however will be distributed.
Cleaning and disinfecting will take place around the clock.
Earlier this week, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that it would allow pilgrims from outside the country to perform Hajj this year.
Last week, Saudi Arabia warned citizens against traveling to 13 countries including India without permission due to security concerns and instability in several countries, while the COVID-19 pandemic continued and new strains of the virus spread to some other countries.
Earlier in March, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia health ministry said that will only allow people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend the Hajj this year.

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has advised, that the only solution to the problems of Nigeria’s transportation challenges is to adopt a multi-modal system, stressing that the pressure on the road system is too high.
Dr Boboye also decried the non-implementation of the National Transport Policy (NTP), 29 years after it was drafted.
Speaking on the topic: “Improving Nigeria Transportation Systems: The Way Forward” at the 8th Nigeria Annual Transport Lecture held recently at Sheraton Hotel, Dr Oyeyemi said there is need for improvement of the inter-modal transport system.
Boboye warned that the road system is not only dominant but its preference, totalling 95 per cent of all modes, has serious road safety concerns in the form of traffic crashes and infrastructure decays
Noting that road crashes have increased, the Corps Marshal said “the pressure is too much on the road. Fatality has been on the high. We used to have an average of 100 lives lost on the roads weekly. Speed is a major aspect we need to address”.
The FRSC boss maintained that utilising other modes of transport, including air, water, road, pipeline and rail as an alternative will decongesting traffic gridlocks in coastal cities in the country, and also has the potential to boost the economy from travel tourism perspective.
According to him, there has not been a balanced development of the country’s transportation system, pointing out that increase in road construction activities and some developmental challenges being experienced by the other sectors of transportation, the movement of people, goods and services is dominated by road transport.
Proffering solutions for the intermodal transport system to work, Boboye said “government should expand and upgrade existing air travel infrastructures so as to boost confidence in the industry with respect to air safety; encourage more investments to bring about healthy competition such that more people can opt for the mode as against the road especially for long-distance travel. This will largely reduce ‘fatigue’ induced and tyre related crashes on the road”.
According to him, greater investments as a follow up of the MoU between NIWA, NEXIM and Sealink Promotional Co. Ltd should be activated.
He also canvassed for the dredging of identified potential waterways in the country to improve safety and enhance navigation amongst others.
Commending the efforts of the present government, Boboye said “government should continue to improve on existing security framework to enhance investors and customers confidence in all modes of transportation in the country. The current state of transportation in the country is an improvement on what it used to be”.

FAAC disbursement drops N63bn to N616bn in May
The three tiers of government shared a total of N616.886 billion received from the federation accounts allocation committee (FAAC).
This is the revenue from April as allocation for May.
Henshaw Ogubike, director of information, press and public relations, at the office of accountant general of the federation (OAGF), disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Of the total revenue derived in April, the federal government, in May, received N244.011 billion, while the state and local government councils got N193.432 billion and N143.298 billion, respectively.
This figure shows a decline of N63.45 billion when compared to FAAC disbursements for revenue accrued in March.
With increased revenue in March, the sum of N680.33 billion was shared among the three tiers of government in April.
In March, gross statutory revenue was N466.687 billion, value added tax revenue was N181.712 billion and exchange gain was N2.931 billion.
But according to the statement, gross statutory revenue fell to N429.733 billion in April.
Revenue from the value added tax also reduced to N164.340 billion while revenue from the exchange gain dipped to N2.250 billion.
The OAGF said the excess bank charges recovered was N0.563 billion, while revenue from non-oil was N20 billion.
For non-oil revenue, the federal government received N10.536 billion, the state government got N5.344 billion and the local governments was allocated N4.120 billion.

“In April 2021, the sum of N79.468 billion was the total deductions for cost of collection, statutory transfers and refunds,” the statement reads.
“The balance in the Excess Crude Account was $72.413 million.”
It noted that oil-producing states received the sum of N36.145 billion as 13 percent derivation revenue.
The statement also noted that from the gross statutory revenue, N207.477 billion was given to the federal government, the state governments received N105.235 billion while the local government councils received N81.132 billion.
“The Federal Government received N24.651 billion from the gross Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N164.340 billion, the state governments received N82.171billion and local government councils received N57.519 billion,” it reads.
The statement added that the federal government received N1.051 billion, the state governments receive N0.533 billion, the local government councils received N0.411 billion and N0.255 billion was given to the relevant states as 13 percent derivation revenue from the exchange gain revenue.
It added that petroleum profit tax and excise duty recorded a significant increase, while companies income tax, oil and gas royalties, VAT and import duty suffered a declin