By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The inability of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to secure the remaining funds to pay service operators in Saudi Arabia for the 2024 Hajj is hindering the preparation of Nigeria’s contingent for the holy pilgrimage.
NAHCON had on January 3 disclosed that the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had slated February 25 as the end date for signing all contracts, signalling the end of payments into International Bank Account Number (IBAN) accounts.
Sundiata Post reports that while the commission has concluded all contracts for the hajj operation, payment to the providers who cater for feeding, accommodation and transportation during the pilgrimage has become an obstacle for early preparation two weeks after the Kingdom began issuing visas.
While the naira’s depreciation is a major factor for this, it was gathered that uncertainty whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would approve a subsidized dollar rate is causing apprehension about an increase in the fare.
Recall that the commission had announced N4.8 million as the hajj fare for the 2024 exercise in February, saying this was agreed on after it beat down the prices of some services to be rendered to the pilgrims.
When the fare was announced, a dollar was N1,410 at the black market and N1,368 at the official rate. The minimum amount to have been paid as fare, would have been N8.46 million or N8.2 million, respectively, going by the $6,000 often spent on each pilgrim.
The chairman of the commission, Jalal Ahmad Arabi, had admitted that the cost would have been “about N6 million” if not for the discounts by the service providers.
Although he did not disclose how much each pilgrim would pay in dollars after the discount, the dollar increase a month after the announcement had put the commission in a fix as it is seeking the aid of the president to augment the price.
Before now, the federal government often subsidized the dollar for pilgrims which kept the fare low, but with the forex crisis, it is not certain if the government will do so this year.
While industry experts have expressed hope that the government will intervene, sources told Daily Trust that the incommunicado between the presidency and NAHCON on subsidizing the hajj fare has stalled payment of some services by the commission two weeks after Saudi Arabia began issuing visas to intending pilgrims.
The source, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, said the commission is in a dilemma on how to go about the fare for this year.
“Already the commission has announced the hajj fare while we are still waiting for the president to make up his mind on the dollar issue. It will be a serious problem if the president does not grant the demand for a subsidized dollar rate for the pilgrims as it will definitely affect the price that was announced early.”
“I don’t think that it is true the commission has not remitted any funds for the service providers, except we are not ready to participate in this year’s hajj because the Saudi Authorities gave us a deadline.
“I feel the government is being careful due to rancour that came up after the approval to pay airlines $24 billion for the services they rendered during the 2023 hajj. The opposition raised in some parts of the country against it made the president suspend the payment and the airlines are yet to be paid till now.”
“We pray the government will not be swayed by the opinion of a few to prevent those that want to visit the holy houses of Allah to do so. This will dent the image of Nigeria among the Muslim community.”
The source however said the commission should be in Saudi Arabia by the second week of Ramadan to continue other arrangements.
“I am sure between now and one week, all the things will be clear like the number of pilgrims and possibly how the money will be sourced.”
Another source in one of the states’ pilgrims’ welfare boards said: “What we are going through now is that there is no proper communication from the presidency to the chairman of NAHCON. The subsidy that the government used to do, I think they have not yet analysed it, so that is the genesis of the delay.”
“We don’t know if the government will be able to provide the subsidy or not but the public reaction to the leaked document on the $24 billionn payment to airlines made the president withdraw any support for the commission for now as we all know the money is yet to be paid. That is why everyone is careful as some attach religious sentiment to it.”
On what would be the state’s reaction if the government does not subsidise the cost, he said: “The fare is out already, what do you expect us to say? The state governments can’t pay the money and we can’t announce a new price after NAHCON has made the final fare.”
States still receiving hajj fare
The source also said some state pilgrim’s welfare boards were still receiving the balance of deposits from intending pilgrims.
He said this had prevented NAHCON from knowing the actual number of Nigerians to participate in the exercise.
We won’t accept further hike – pilgrims
Ibrahim Haruna Shuaibu, an intending pilgrim, said he completed his payment of N4.6 million a couple of months ago but had not received any updates from the pilgrims’ board since then.
“By now, I expected that the reduction in fares would be made following President Tinubu’s directive to the Hajj Commission. I have been waiting to hear from the commission, but there has been no communication from the board about the preparation.
“We were also told that state governors will subsidize dollars for us, but up till now, the Plateau State Pilgrims Board has not informed us about that. Nobody is talking to us,” he said.
Ibrahim said they were not expecting any increment in the fare even with the hike in the dollar price, but if the Hajj Commission deemed fit to make any increment, it would not be easy. He said, “I will look into my pocket, and if the increment does not go beyond my reach, I will go ahead to add up because pilgrimage is worth embarking on,” he said.
Another intending pilgrim, Auwal Kasimu, expressed concern that the Hajj Commission and state pilgrims board were not providing them with any information.
“We are left in the dark because since we made our complete payment, no single piece of information has come to us from the board. It is good news that the government is planning to reduce the fare, but we have yet to receive any news about that.
“I don’t want to hear about any increment. If they do not reduce, why should they ask us to add up because we made payments months ago? But in the event of an increment, one will only look at his pulse to see whether to add up or not,” he said.
NAHCON mum
When contacted, the Assistant Director of NAHCON on Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda, said the commission had no comment regarding the issue.
Sundiata Post reports that President Tinubu had on Sunday, February 11, 2024, promised to support pilgrims.
Speaking when he received a delegation from the Global Tijaniyya Movement, led by Khalifa Muhammad Mahe Niass, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the president said his administration will support plans and efforts to give ease and succour to hajj pilgrims.
In a statement released by the handlers of the president, they quoted him emphasising the importance of spiritual endeavours in nation-building, underscoring his administration’s commitment to supporting religious activities.
The highlighted the need for collaboration between political and spiritual leaders to advance the nation’s interests and promote unity among the people.
The statement, however, did not mention the kind of support that would be given to the pilgrims but in an updated version, the statement said President Tinubu said his administration was revolutionising agriculture to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production and a net exporter of agricultural products.
Supporting pilgrims not top priority – Cleric
Speaking on the development, Dr Maisuna M. Yahya, founder, Al-Mustofiyyah Society of Nigeria, told Daily Trust that hajj is compulsory for every Muslim, provided that the person has the legal means.
He added that while it is not bad for government to intervene in subsidising the 2024 hajj fare, it is not the topmost priority, especially with the state of food scarcity and hardship in the country.
“Having satisfied all this conditions, for government to pay, firstly, people are hungry, imagine how much is a bag of rice? So food comes first and government should prioritise food for the people.
“Secondly, officials should pay for the hajj from their own personal account and not from government account. So government should prioritise food for the people rather than hajj,” Sheik Yahya said.
