From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI
Bauchi State Governor Senator Dr Bala Mohammed has agreed to pay 50% of the additional increment of the 2024 Hajj exercise fare for the intending pilgrims from Bauchi State.
Accordingly, Bauchi State Government will pay a subsidy of ₦959,000 for 1652 intending pilgrims from Bauchi State totaling over ₦2.5 billion to bring socour to the Hajj exercise.
The Honourable Commissioner for Religion Affairs and Community Orientation Alh. Yakubu Ibrahim Hamza stated this while briefing newsmen on the development, Friday at the Government house Bauchi.
He explained that benefiting intending pilgrims comprises those who have already paid the increment and those who are yet commit the development as well as those who were being awarded a Hajj slots by the state government.
In a Remark the Executive Secretary of the state Pilgrims welfare Board Abdulrahman Ibrahim Idris explained that intending pilgrims who have registered and paid the initial total deposit of N4.7 million and N4.5 million with the State Pilgrims Board will now deposit ₦959k out of the N1.9 million increase.
Recalled that The National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) has increased the fare for the year 2024 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia by N1,918,032.91.
The Commission also set March 28, 2024 as deadline for intending pilgrims to make their payments. It attributed the increase in fare to the foreign exchange crisis rocking the country.
NAHCON had initially pegged the fare for this year’s pilgrimage at N4.9m, but the commission is now asking those who have paid the initial amount to add a balance of N1.9m raising the amount to N6.8m.
