The federal government has released a sum of N90 billion to subsidise the 2024 pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Daily Trust has learnt.

An impeccable source within the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) revealed this to Daily Trust on Thursday.

The source, who asked not to be named, noted that without this intervention, each of the intending pilgrims would have been requested to add at least N3.5 million to the initial fare which was pegged at N4.9 million.

A top official at the Presidency also confirmed that the federal government “actually provided some financial support for the hajj exercise”.

Recall that the NAHCON had, in December last year, fixed a fare of N4.9 million per pilgrim based on the exchange rate of N897 to a dollar.

In announcing the fare at that time, the commission had quoted the sum of N4,899,000 for southern pilgrims; N4,699,000 for those from the North; while pilgrims from Yola and Maiduguri centres were asked to pay N4,679,000.

Through a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Fatima Usara, the hajj commission had raised the fare by N1, 918,032.91, jacking up the total amount to N6.8 million.

The commission had also said intending pilgrims had up to yesterday (March 28, 2024) to make payment for the spiritual exercise.

The NAHCON had attributed the latest hike in hajj fare to the foreign exchange crisis which Nigeria has been battling for months.

The NAHCON’s source told Daily Trust that if the commission had received up to N230 billion as support from the federal government, there would have been no need to ask intending pilgrims “to add a dime.”

“The forex crisis has caused a lot of problems. That is why the Hajj Commission has asked intending pilgrims to pay the extra amount of N1.9 million each. The commission actually needed N230 billion to sort out the fare differential caused by the forex crisis.

“The N90 billion support which was provided by the government was announced in the presence of reporters during the inauguration of the board and management of the Hajj Commission which was held at the Office of the Vice Presidency on February 28, 2024. But they (reporters) were asked not to report it. That was why no newspaper carried the report. Or did you see it in any reports?”

“If the intending pilgrims pay ₦1.9 million, it is then it can be balanced,” the source further stated.

He said the NAHCON had also contacted state governors “to subsidise the hajj fare for the intending pilgrims in their respective states. Kano has responded by subsiding it by N500,000 for each pilgrim.

“By the previous calculation, the N90 billion given by the federal government can only subsidise 19,000 intending pilgrims by ₦3.5 million. But by spreading it on 50,000 pilgrims, it reduces it to N1.9 million; meaning that the federal government has subsidised each pilgrim by ₦1.6 million before each intending pilgrim was asked to add the remaining N1.9 million,” he said.

A presidency source, who also spoke to Daily Trust yesterday, said it was true that the federal government had provided what he called a “huge financial support” for this year’s hajj exercise.

Asked to confirm whether the federal government released up to N90 billion as support for the pilgrimage, the official simply said: “that might not be far from the truth.”

He added, “Of course, the federal government has offered support for the pilgrims because the pilgrims have been lamenting.

“Normally, any support that the government is giving to any faith, whether the Christian faith or the Muslim faith, the government does not like to announce it openly so that it will not appear as if the government is favouring on faith.”

Penguin2:
Lol!

After seeing the serious inroads that Peter Obi is making into the core Muslim north, Bulaba has decided to try to measure up by bribing northern Muslims with subsidized Hajj.

Or tell me why an administration that claims it wants to implement the Orosanya Report would still be subsidizing Hajj whilst that report recommended that government should stop funding both Muslim and Christian Pilgrimages.

Fear don catch Emilokan while his supporters are on Nairaland living in fools paradise 😏

helinues:
Wasting of tax payers money.

The politicians should stop wasting our common wealth in religion, on daily basis, one church or mosque are being erected in Nigeria yet the rate of crime is increasing, abeg who exactly have they been preaching to?

Saudi women are now allowed to join beauty pageant while the Nigeria religious people are still beclouded

CodeTemplar:
The rejection from SWAGA has really reno-omokried you o. You are now more neutral tables shaking commentator than a BMC aggressor.

treesun:
The federal government has released a sum of N90 billion to subsidise the 2024 pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Daily Trust has learnt.

An impeccable source within the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) revealed this to Daily Trust on Thursday.


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The source, who asked not to be named, noted that without this intervention, each of the intending pilgrims would have been requested to add at least N3.5 million to the initial fare which was pegged at N4.9 million.

A top official at the Presidency also confirmed that the federal government “actually provided some financial support for the hajj exercise”.

Recall that the NAHCON had, in December last year, fixed a fare of N4.9 million per pilgrim based on the exchange rate of N897 to a dollar.

Hajj fee hike unfair, Ndume knocks NAHCON

FG, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi subsidise hajj fares

In announcing the fare at that time, the commission had quoted the sum of N4,899,000 for southern pilgrims; N4,699,000 for those from the North; while pilgrims from Yola and Maiduguri centres were asked to pay N4,679,000.



Through a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Fatima Usara, the hajj commission had raised the fare by N1, 918,032.91, jacking up the total amount to N6.8 million.

The commission had also said intending pilgrims had up to yesterday (March 28, 2024) to make payment for the spiritual exercise.

The NAHCON had attributed the latest hike in hajj fare to the foreign exchange crisis which Nigeria has been battling for months.

The NAHCON’s source told Daily Trust that if the commission had received up to N230 billion as support from the federal government, there would have been no need to ask intending pilgrims “to add a dime.”

“The forex crisis has caused a lot of problems. That is why the Hajj Commission has asked intending pilgrims to pay the extra amount of N1.9 million each. The commission actually needed N230 billion to sort out the fare differential caused by the forex crisis.

“The N90 billion support which was provided by the government was announced in the presence of reporters during the inauguration of the board and management of the Hajj Commission which was held at the Office of the Vice Presidency on February 28, 2024. But they (reporters) were asked not to report it. That was why no newspaper carried the report. Or did you see it in any reports?”


“If the intending pilgrims pay ₦1.9 million, it is then it can be balanced,” the source further stated.

He said the NAHCON had also contacted state governors “to subsidise the hajj fare for the intending pilgrims in their respective states. Kano has responded by subsiding it by N500,000 for each pilgrim.

“By the previous calculation, the N90 billion given by the federal government can only subsidise 19,000 intending pilgrims by ₦3.5 million. But by spreading it on 50,000 pilgrims, it reduces it to N1.9 million; meaning that the federal government has subsidised each pilgrim by ₦1.6 million before each intending pilgrim was asked to add the remaining N1.9 million,” he said.


A presidency source, who also spoke to Daily Trust yesterday, said it was true that the federal government had provided what he called a “huge financial support” for this year’s hajj exercise.

Asked to confirm whether the federal government released up to N90 billion as support for the pilgrimage, the official simply said: “that might not be far from the truth.”

He added, “Of course, the federal government has offered support for the pilgrims because the pilgrims have been lamenting.

“Normally, any support that the government is giving to any faith, whether the Christian faith or the Muslim faith, the government does not like to announce it openly so that it will not appear as if the government is favouring on faith.”



https://dailytrust.com/exclusive-fg-subsidises-hajj-fares-with-n90bn/

seunmsg:



If you see nothing wrong in Peter Obi attempting to bribe Northerners with borehole and food, why are you crying over Federal Government’s decision to subsidize hajj payment for Muslims? What’s wrong with two can play the game?

Penguin2:
Lol!

After seeing the serious inroads that Peter Obi is making into the core Muslim north, Bulaba has decided to try to measure up by bribing northern Muslims with subsidized Hajj.

Or tell me why an administration that claims it wants to implement the Orosanya Report would still be subsidizing Hajj whilst that report recommended that government should stop funding both Muslim and Christian Pilgrimages.

Fear don catch Emilokan while his supporters are on Nairaland living in fools paradise 😏

Penguin2:

No Obidient said anything against Hitech, Mr Man.

Or you can bring proof.


If anyone or group of people expressed any misgivings about the company and the contract, that doesn’t mean they are automatically Obidients.

We should be more sensible than we are pett.

Floky215:


These bastered just dashed Saudi Arabia people 90B naira of our hard earned income for zero benefit to our economy and we say Nigeria would move forward...!!

This madness got to stop...!!!

Penguin2:

I don’t know if it’s shallow thinking or what, but how are you not able to differentiate that Obi is drilling those boreholes with his money while Tinubu is doing saraka to the north with our common patrimony to the tune of 90billion Naira.

How are you not able to make this simple differentiation?

Chinjo2:
What is the essence of subsidizing religious activities that is suppose to be personal. Why not subsidize the productive and manufacturing sector or subsidize electricity and gas

okeyley:
so Nigeria dey subsidize religion and not education.

that 90 billion fit commot all almajiri from the streets of Nigeria and give them quality education and health care.


Besides mainly the rich goes on pilgrimage.


so sad

nairalanda1:


1. Government does subsidise electricity

2.. Government also does give some subsidy to some industries eg the cement industry. Tax waivers and the likes

( I'm not defending government, just correcting some misconception).

seunmsg:


I don’t give a fvck where the money is coming from. The intention is my concern and that is what I addressed. They both have the same intention and it’s quite hypocritical to condemn one and support the other.

If Obi is president and has access to public resources, he will do even worse than Tinubu to get voters patronage so stop crying because Tinubu is beating Obi gbajue to his game.

Northerners want a subsidized hajj and Mr. President has give them. They are Nigerians and they deserve whatever makes them happy. If you like cry from now till 2027, it won’t change anything.

helinues:
Wasting of tax payers money.

The politicians should stop wasting our common wealth in religion, on daily basis, one church or mosque are being erected in Nigeria yet the rate of crime is increasing, abeg who exactly have they been preaching to?

Saudi women are now allowed to join beauty pageant while the Nigeria religious people are still beclouded

CodeTemplar:

Some subsidies, while largely consumption based, are still supporting productive entities in some ways unlike hajj and Jerusalem visits. Religion is suppose to be a private thing but Islam has succeeded in suppressing the constitution that recognizes it. Tinubu is merely shutting mouths and cementing the stability of the mandate. No more shaky shaky.

seunmsg:



If you see nothing wrong in Peter Obi attempting to bribe Northerners with borehole and food, why are you crying over Federal Government’s decision to subsidize hajj payment for Muslims? What’s wrong with two can play the game?

nairalanda1:


Government actually subsides education. For students attending government schools .Even at university level, which is why when you get admitted into a government university, you don't pay fees in the millions of naira like they do at private universities.

And they have been doing so for decades

okeyley:





Are you supporting this maladministration's thirst for reckless spending on frivolity or are you supporting directed spending that can better the citizens welfare and wellbeing