A source in Hajj and Umrah agencies accuses the Ministry of Endowments of “trading in Umrah” and creating fake agencies

A source in one of the Hajj and Umrah agencies accused the Ministry of Endowments and Guidance in the interim capital, Aden, of deliberately harming Hajj and Umrah agencies, through what he described as “trading in Umrah,” at a time when accusations of corruption within the ministry are escalating.

The source, who spoke to "Yemeni Youth Net" on condition of anonymity, said that the Ministry of Endowments imposed a fee of 30 Saudi Riyals for each pilgrim without providing any service to the pilgrim or the agency other than opening the window granted to it by the Saudi authorities, while the agency only earns 10 Riyals.

The source also accused the Ministry of Endowments of granting permits to fake Umrah agencies (travel) at the expense of agencies that have had branches in cities for years, explaining that agencies that have been active for years are incurring increasing financial burdens that include office rents, employee salaries, operating expenses, taxes, and others.

He pointed out that these burdens come amid a state of great depression facing the market, which burdens these agencies, in addition to reducing the services provided to citizens.

The source added that in light of these worsening circumstances, the Ministry of Endowments and Guidance granted travel agencies that do not actually exist on the ground, do not have employees, and do not pay taxes to the state, permits to operate in violation of the laws in force in the country.

He stressed that this situation led to the worst period in the activity of providing Umrah services, as the Ministry granted permits to fake agencies to work at the expense of reliable agencies.

He stated that the ministry had recruited a number of individuals who had no connection to commercial or service work, and had no actual presence on the ground, to become traders working for the ministry and contributing to harming agencies with a long history and credibility that had been built over 20 years.

The source called on the Yemeni government to intervene to solve this problem and oblige the Ministry of Endowments to withdraw permits from fictitious agencies and not to turn Umrah into a commercial season for the ministry through which it profits at the expense of the citizen and the active agencies.

According to informed sources, the Ministry of Endowments and Guidance collected more than 5 million dollars from last year’s Umrah season.

At the beginning of this month, Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak directed a detailed review of all aspects of work in the Ministry of Endowments and Guidance since 2015, especially the Hajj seasons from 1436 AH until the last Hajj season 1445 AH, and to address any irregularities in the administrative and financial aspects, in a way that enhances its role in performing the tasks assigned to it in the best possible way.

The Yemeni Tourism Federation proposed establishing an independent body that organizes, supervises and manages Hajj and Umrah activities (the Supreme Hajj and Umrah Authority) that would be independent and affiliated with the Council of Ministers, similar to what is practiced in some Arab countries, with an independent and qualified staff in coordination with the relevant government agencies and the private sector.

The union called for preventing the politicization of Hajj and Umrah activities in any way and under any pretext, and keeping them away from regional conflicts, as well as assigning the Control and Accounting Authority to carry out its oversight duty over the Hajj and Umrah sector.

He also demanded the cancellation of the contract concluded with the Guest House Company due to the numerous failures witnessed by all the pilgrims as well as the Minister of Endowments himself during his meeting with the pilgrims. He also demanded that the Ministry of Endowments be obligated to immediately pay compensation for the services in which there were failures and shortcomings based on the Minister’s promises.

Earlier this month, a number of Hajj and Umrah agency owners filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the Minister of Endowments and Guidance, Muhammad Aydah Shabiba, and the Undersecretary of the Hajj and Umrah Sector, Mukhtar Al-Rabash.