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To ease monetary stress on pilgrims, who took half within the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the Federal Authorities and no fewer than eight states spent N100.642 billion on the pilgrims as subsidies and allowances.
The 2024 Hajj lasted from June 14 to June 19.
Coming at a time when no fewer than 20 states refused to pay wage awards to their staff to scale back the hardship occasioned by the elimination of gas subsidy, an Government member of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Isiaq Kunle Sanni, stated that the Muslim neighborhood by no means requested the Hajj subsidies.
Sani expressed concern that the federal government’s priorities are misplaced and that the funds may have been higher spent on scholarships and different urgent points.
Nonetheless, the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, counseled the governments for the gesture saying it was a essential rescue bundle for pilgrims.
FG spent N90bn
On the flag-off of the inaugural airlift for the 2024 Hajj train at Sir Ahmadu Bello Worldwide Airport, Birnin Kebbi, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu,
disclosed that the president had ordered the cost of N90 billion subsidy for the 2024 Hajj.
The Vice President stated the president took this initiative on account of the financial state of affairs in Nigeria, and urged the intending pilgrims to hope for peace, unity, and progress within the nation.
Just like the Federal Authorities, many states, particularly, within the North, catered for the welfare of their pilgrims. A lot of the states didn’t disclose how a lot they spent on their pilgrims; nevertheless, seven states disbursed N10.699 billion.
Governors prioritise pilgrims’ welfare over staff pay
There are indications that many governors within the North prioritised the subsidisation of pilgrimage of some privileged individuals of their states over the cost of the wage award initiated by the Federal Authorities to their staff.
Vanguard’s checks point out that other than some governors instantly funding bills of the pilgrims from their states, others considerably subsidised the pilgrimage of their pilgrims.
Nonetheless, a lot of the governors have vehemently opposed the cost of wage awards to their staff for the reason that Federal Authorities launched the six-month cost upon the withdrawal of gas subsidy final yr to cushion the spiral impact on their earnings and welfare.
Kebbi spent N4 billion
In Kebbi State authorities, Governor Nasiru Idris subsidised the Hajj bills by donating A million naira to every of the 4000 pilgrims.
Plateau sponsored 540 of 1,233 pilgrims with N2bn mortgage
In Plateau State with 1,233 pilgrims, the state and native authorities councils concertedly sponsored no fewer than 540 of the pilgrims.
To facilitate their journey, the State Muslims Pilgrims Board secured a financial institution mortgage of N2 billion to allow it to acquire the wanted variety of Hajj slots from the Nationwide Hajj Fee of Nigeria, NAHCON, earlier than the intending pilgrims not sponsored by the State or Native Authorities Space made their deposits.
Kano supplied N1.56bn subsidy
On his half, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State introduced a N500,000 subsidy for every of the three,121 pilgrims from the state operating into N1,560,500,000.
It was additionally gathered that the Governor gifted the pilgrims 100 Saudi Riyal every amounting to N62.42 million as Sallah gesture.
1,815 pilgrims get N550 million in Borno In Borno State, no fewer than 1,815 pilgrims acquired N303,000 every as subsidy from the state authorities. The full sum is N549,945,000.
Zamfara spent N257.7m on 1,718 pilgrims
In Zamfara, the state authorities supported every of the 1,718 pilgrims with $100, which at N1500 to a Greenback amounted N257, 700,000.
Nasarawa pilgrims received N1.23 billion
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State splashed $200, and 200 Riyals on every of 1, 760 Nasarawa pilgrims. On the present change price, one Saudi Riyal is equal to N396.91.
Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abdulrazaq Abacha Madaki, who confirmed this in a message to journalists, stated Governor Sule had continued to display impeccable management and compassion after he personally donated 200 {dollars} for the Islamic Hadaya and 200 Saudi Riyals as Sallah present to every of the 1, 760 pilgrims from Nasarawa State The board picture maker defined that the donation was in achievement of the the governor’s earlier promise to the pilgrims when departing for the Holy land of Mecca. The summation of the donations, at present change price is N1.227 billion.
Lagos, Ogun sponsored operations with N1.042bn
The Ogun State authorities sponsored yr 2024 Hajj with N119,560,712.70, which is the shortfall in pilgrims’ Fundamental Journey Allowance, BTA The Particular Adviser to the governor on Media and Technique, Mr Kayode Akinmade, confirmed this to Vanguard in Abeokuta.
Additionally, Lagos State Authorities disbursed N923 million as Hajj subsidy for 1,846 pilgrims, this yr.
Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu stated this by means of the state Lawyer-Normal and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro.
Niger caters for rams, slaughtering
In Niger State, Vanguard’s checks confirmed that 3,223 pilgrims went to this yr’s holy pilgrimage to Mecca.
Every of them paid N6,699,000 for the journey with none subsidy from the state authorities.
Nonetheless, the state authorities, it was gathered, paid for the acquisition and slaughtering (Hadaya) of 1 ram for every of the pilgrims in Mecca.
Different states
Nonetheless, the sums spent by a bunch of the states weren’t disclosed. In Oyo State, Authorities sources stated it was inconceivable for the federal government to not subsidize Hajj fare as a result of it is too expensive, and “that is the custom for each Christian and Muslim pilgrims.”
In Kwara, there have been 3117 pilgrims, in keeping with the Secretary of the Pilgrims’ Board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, who nevertheless declined to reveal what the state had given to every of the pilgrims to complement their cost for the journey.
“I can’t inform you the quantity as a result of it’s past me,” he quipped.
Though Kaduna State had no fewer than 4,600 pilgrims, officers declined to reveal how a lot the federal government paid to subsidise their journeys, insisting that such info was past their transient.
Taraba sponsored 111 pilgrims
In Taraba State, the government-sponsored 111 of pilgrims for this yr’s Hajj.
Other than this, the one subsidy the opposite pilgrims from the state benefited from was supplied by the Federal Authorities.
This subsidy was out there solely to those that had paid the preliminary value stipulated by NAHCON earlier than the value was reviewed upwards.
Bayelsa funded 10 of 13 pilgrims
In Bayelsa, a senior appointee of the State authorities confirmed the state totally sponsored 10 individuals to this yr’s Hajj, whereas three different individuals had been on self-sponsorship.
Nonetheless, on the time of submitting this report, an official on the Bayelsa State Pilgrims Welfare Board stated they had been nonetheless engaged on the quantity to approve for the pilgrims due to the volatility of the naira to the greenback.
Muslims by no means requested, govt taking part in politics with subsidies — NSCIA Exco
Chatting with Vanguard in Abuja, Sanni acknowledged that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’advert Abubakar III, opposed free Hajj journeys and most popular scholarships as an alternative.
His phrases: “The Muslims by no means requested the federal government to subsidize pilgrimage. Politicians usually search to attraction to the emotions of Nigerians, whether or not they’re Christians or Muslims. They doubtless did this of their very own volition, maybe hoping to realize favour with the Muslim neighborhood.
“That is why, throughout Christmas, each federal and state governments subsidize transportation for Christians, permitting them to journey by street or by prepare freed from cost for one month for his or her spiritual festivals. The politicians doubtless aimed to attraction to Christians as effectively.
“Nonetheless, this apply was not replicated throughout the Islamic pageant, and we didn’t complain. Those that had already paid for his or her pilgrimage in full earlier than the assorted governments introduced their hajj fare subsidies weren’t refunded a single dime. I can state this unequivocally and with dependable authority. Hajj shouldn’t be obligatory until one has the monetary means to fund it. Islamic teachings clearly state that Hajj is compulsory solely for many who can afford it.
“Trusting politicians will be dangerous; it is potential that no cash has really been launched regardless of the introduced subsidies. Most of the listed beneficiaries might by no means obtain the subsidies. The federal government acknowledged that the Hajj subsidy would cowl these with excellent funds. It was not a full subsidy however was supposed for many who had made deposits however turned unable to pay the steadiness when the Naira plummeted.
“To one of the best of my information, and as somebody intently linked to Islamic authorities in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’advert Abubakar III, by no means requested any authorities to subsidize Hajj for Muslims.
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“The Sultan personally opposes offering free Hajj journeys. He prefers that such funds be allotted to scholarships, as there are lots of different urgent points that the federal government may handle as an alternative of sponsoring individuals for Hajj. Sending somebody to Hajj prices about N8 million.
“When you give a mean Nigerian N8 million, they’re doubtless to make use of it successfully. They might begin a enterprise with that cash and, after just a few years, have sufficient funds to sponsor themselves for Hajj. Nonetheless, Nigerian politicians, being who they’re, usually want to make some noise.”
It was a lifeline — MURIC
Toeing a special line, MURIC Government Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, stated the subsidy was a response to the extraordinary circumstances confronted by the pilgrims who had paid the complete quantity required however had been affected by the unexpected fluctuation in naira’s worth.
Chatting with Vanguard in Abuja, Akintola stated: “Relying on the circumstances, it might be acceptable for the federal government to subsidize pilgrimage. The subsidy supplied by the federal government up to now yr was prompted by the difficulties confronted by Muslim pilgrims.
“They didn’t explicitly request the subsidy, both individually or collectively. Nonetheless, throughout the cost course of, some pilgrims had already paid the complete quantity required when the Nigerian forex skilled important fluctuation.
“They didn’t ask for the subsidy, however the costs modified after they’d already paid, and it was not on account of indigence. That they had collected the precise quantity that the Pilgrims’ Board required.
Sadly, the worth of the cash they paid dropped, and so they had been requested to search out extra funds. That is the true state of affairs we face.
“Ordinarily, we have now argued that beneath regular circumstances, there could be no want for governments’ intervention in pilgrimage issues. About 5 years in the past, MURIC launched a marketing campaign urging the federal authorities to withdraw from pilgrimage affairs.
“Muslims can handle pilgrimage on their very own; this yr alone, no less than 65,000 Muslim pilgrims went for Hajj. When such a lot of individuals pool their assets and handle them correctly, they will return with income. Subsequently, we steered that the federal government ought to withdraw its involvement.”
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