Jigawa Government Announced N1 Million Incentive For Each Prospective Pilgrimage To Hajj
Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi has declared a N1 million grant for Jigawa State residents planning to perform the hajj in 2024.
On Monday, April 1, Jigawa Pilgrims Welfare Board spokesperson Murtala Usman disclosed this.
The subsidy, according to the state government, is for Jigawa pilgrims who first paid for their trip to Mecca during the 2024 hajj activity.
Usman said, “Each intending pilgrim will now pay about N900,000 only as against the N1.9 million increase announced by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
“From the initial, the NAHCON allocated 1,518 seats for Jigawa State, but only 1,260 seats were sold to intending pilgrims and completed their payment.
“The subsidy gesture announced by the governor is effective on those who have deposited their amount before the sudden increase of N1.9 million Hajj fare increase by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.”
Given the change in foreign exchange rates, NAHCON had to raise the rates for the 2024 hajj. Approximately 49,000 pilgrims who had previously paid the commission N4.9 million each were now required to pay an additional N1.9 million by March 28 at the latest, while the new registration fee is N8.5 million.
The NAHCON spokesperson, Fatima Sanda-Usara, announced this rate increase in a statement on Sunday, March 31.
The commission justified the increase by stating that it was necessary to make an adjustment due to the current exchange rate of N1,474.00 to the dollar.
The statement states that when the naira was still trading at N897 to the dollar at the banks, about 49,000 prospective pilgrims under the public quota paid N4.9 million to the commission.
The commission announced a new rate because it claimed that its attempts to keep the current fare were ineffective.
No comments:
Leave comment here