STOP SPONSORING PILGRIMAGES

We will like to start with a Norway's proverb that says necessity teaches a naked woman how to knit. With the current economy tsunami battling our nationhood we don't need rocket science to devise how to block some holes in our government expenses.

It is quite unfortunate that when people debate on economy downturn our prism usually diverge from unconstitutional adventures that have been contributing to this woe. One of these is huge public funds committing to sponsor pilgrimages by our 3 tiers of government. If you can recall that we mentioned it in our article tagged "BAIL OUT NOT MEANS TO AN END" and we still want to join voices against it again.

Historically, it was started by Awolowo under the defunct Western Region to assist and woo Muslims in the region which later extended to christians but has now turned to recurrent decimal at all levels of government. According to Section10 of the 1999 constitution, the government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State religion. While Section 38 affirms it, 'right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion'. So it is not a question of constitution but failure of our government to put religion in private sphere. It baffled us when El-Rufai was heavily criticised for stopping provisions for Ramadan fasting breaks in his state. Even though Nigerian politics has been polarised by ethnicity and religions, religion is still not business of government.

Let us do simple calculation of this annual venture, in 2014 we airlifted pilgrimages of about 80000 to Mecca (N720,000 per head), 35000 to Israel(N350,000 per head) and 2015 cannot be different. In sum, it is about N70b with our government responsible for 70% of it (N49b) which is more than half of annual budget of many states, pay twice of annual wage bills of Osun State in 2014 as well as other States. Beside this amount is concessionary rate(lesser exchange rate) usually granted to pilgrimages. For instance, in 2013, it was N144 against N158 to $1.

This huge amount wasting on pilgrimages can improve health facilities in rural areas to reduce mortality rate, build classrooms or solve part of unemployment crisis instead of indirectly exporting jobs to Saudi Arabia and Israel.

The horrendous part of this waste is composition of those embarking on these events every year. If you check records, over 70% of these people have been consistently appearing for same act for over 10 years with government bearing the burden. Also, government officials still hide under this guise after collecting estacodes for same event.

We are calling on all well meaning Nigerians to join us in compelling government at all levels to stop this wasteful act from this year.

Moreover, in contrast to recommendation made by Steve Orosanye's committee to scrap the 2 boards, we will suggest merging. The board should be under foreign affairs and saddle with sole responsibility of managing logistics affairs of those ready to travel without subsidy from government. We believe this will sharpen diplomatic aspect of it.

Please join us as we are saying capital NO to government sponsorship of pilgrimage.


God help our nation.

Sam Obi
For
Good Governance Advocates

I agree

abeg bone pilgrimages and face Wardrode Allowance

It's high time government stop spending scarce resources on pilgrimage