Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday revealed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had subsidized the cost 2024 Hajj pilgrimage with N90 billion.

Shettima made this known at the inauguration of the 2024 National Hajj operation, held at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State Capital. You may recall that this year, we had a major challenge in announcing the final hajj fare for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage due to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates.

” President Bola Tinubu also work round the clock to control the downwards spiral of our local currency to bring relief to our pilgrims and other Nigerians. A moved that eventually succeeded in lowering the fare. The President approved the released of N90 billion to subsidized the cost of pilgrimage for this year’s hajj.”

He said that the government of Renewed Hope led by Tinubu attaches immense importance to religious pilgrimage due to the role its plays in transforming behavioral and social vices of the believers beyond performing the pilgrimage.

” Due to this high regard, the government took time to carefully select men of integrity with administrative acum and records of selfless dedication to manage the affairs of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria in the interest of Nigerian pilgrims.

” Government at the highest level monitors all arrangements meant for the well being of our pilgrims both in Saudi Arabia and within the country before embarking on the journey. We are aware of the provision put in place for the safety, security and comfort of the Nigerian contingent to the 2024 hajj of our pilgrims.”

Shettima urged the pilgrims not to relent in praying for the success of Tinubu’s administration, peace and progress of the country that ” we are proud to call our motherland. Indeed, it is through our collective prayers and individual contributions that our country will prosper,” Shettima said.

Earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, tasked Nigerian pilgrims on disciplined in order to project the image of Nigeria positively. He thanked the Tinubu led Federal Government for its effort to ensure that the 2024 hajj takes place.

” As you heard that NAHCON Chairman said when all hopes were lost, light showed at one end and today we are having the inaugural flight for thr 2024 Hajj. We never lost hope that we will go for hajj. We are in an era of Renewed Hope. So tell Asiwaju that his real hope is still being expected to shine everywhere.

” We are looking for more, we want more of good leadership. We want to thank the President for his leadership. We thank the Vice President and all governors for our states who have been standing by to help the common man to survive.”

NAN reports that NAHCON has stated that all outbound flights from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage will be completed by June 10 or before.

NAN reports that no fewer than 50,000 Nigerian intending pilgrims will perform the 2024 Hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. NAN reports that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had allocated 95,000 Hajj slots to Nigeria for the 2024 pilgrimage.

We never lost hope that we will go for hajj. We are in an era of Renewed Hope. We are looking for more, we want more of good leadership.

We want to thank the President for his leadership. We thank the Vice President and all governors for our states who have been standing by to help the common man to survive."

emkz:
One of the greatest anomalies in northern Nigeria is the misappropriation of resources on matters that have no developmental value to those states, for example:

(1) Ramadan feeding
(2) Hajj subsidy and outright payment
(3) Mass weddings.

Internally generated revenue in some of the states doing these things are extremely poor. They include: Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Kano. The quality of life of the population is also disturbing, yet they invest in things that cannot improve the lives of their citizens. For example, do all these states have good drinking water? Are their citizens gainfully employed? Are their children in school? Is infrastructure in top shape?

Okay, the funds allocated for Ramadan feeding: are the included in the budget? If not, how will the funds be accounted for? After Ramadan, will the people not eat again? Is it the responsibility of state governments to feed citizens during Ramadan? Do the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia feed their citizens with public funds during Ramadan?

Then to the issue of Hajj sponsorship: when the sponsored return from Hajj, would they return to an eldorado state of affairs or they return to an endemic poor state of affairs?

Northern governors must separate personal spiritual pursuits from public funds. Public funds belong to the public and should be geared towards public good and not fund people's private spiritual pursuits.

As for the Jigawa State Commissioner for Commerce suspended for alleged mismanagement of iftar feeding programme funds, I think the state government and entire cabinet ought to suspend themselves too for misappropriation of public funds to a feeding programme unknown to the state's appropriation bill.

India ends government subsidies for Hajj pilgrimage
Originally subsidies for Hajj helped poorer sections of the community go on the pilgrimage many could not afford.

2018

New Delhi, India – The Indian government has announced the end of a decades-long policy of giving subsidy to thousands of Muslims heading to the holy city of Mecca to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, India’s minister for minority affairs, said on Tuesday that the move was part of “a policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement”.

“Hajj subsidy funds will be used for the educational empowerment of girls and women from minority communities,” he told reporters in Delhi.

The decision followed a 2012 ruling by the country’s Supreme Court, which had directed the government to gradually reduce the subsidy and abolish it by 2022.

The move was welcomed by many Muslim groups in the country.

Throwback:
Yet cannot pay a livable minimum wage?

What is the benefit of the hajj and any other pilgrimage to the economy of Nigeria?

When will our leaders learn that we are not a rich country that can afford all of these wastes?

I know the hypocrite who purchased over 450 SUVs for traditional leaders in Anambra, will also come out to complain about waste, as if he is not one and same with the wasteful political leadership of this country.

PDPdestroyer:

lol @ bolded. I can assure you Obi dare not complain about this ‘wastage’ because of northern votes. Even Tinubu is doing this coz he knows the how northern Muslims take this pilgrimage, it’s more of a political strategy

Racoon:
https://thenationonlineng.net/tinubu-subsidises-cost-of-2024-hajj-with-n90bn-shettima/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter