Minister Atanga Nji Paul chaired the 35th Session of the National Hajj Commission in Yaoundé, December 5, 2024. It centred on the evaluation of Hajj 2024 and preparation for 2025. Attending the 35th session of the National Hajj Commission were the Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iya Tidjani; the Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency, Mohamadou Moustapha; and other key stakeholders.
The team took stock of the past Hajj and presented an agenda for Hajj 2025.
Opening the session, Minister Atanga Nji gave statistics of Hajj 2024. It took place from May 31 to July 7, 2024, with the participation of 5,373 pilgrims, including 4,216 on behalf of the National Hajj Commission and 1,337 on behalf of private agencies. The 4,216 pilgrims of the Commission were transported in six days for a record stay of 23 days. In addition, they each benefitted from 5 litres of holy water (Zam Zam), thanks to the generosity of the Head of State.
The minister revealed that more than 2,450 letters of thanks have been sent by grateful pilgrims to the head of state for his support to them during Hajj 2024 and the previous Hajj sessions. The authorities are satisfied with the performance of pilgrims during Hajj, as all Cameroonian pilgrims were disciplined and adhered to the rules. The minister says Cameroon stands tall as a reference, given that people from other countries are coming to draw knowledge from Cameroon. It would be recalled that President Paul Biya offered one billion five hundred and sixty million CFA francs to the National Hajj Commission, which trickled down to 350,000 CFA francs offered to each pilgrim. The Head of State also furnished ambulances for the medical team. The rendezvous has been taken for Hajj 2025, which officials have committed to maintaining good standards.