Hajj Pilgrims Complain Over BTA Slash

Several pilgrims to this year’s Hajj have complained of reduction in their expected Basic Travel Allowances (BTA) issued by their state Pilgrims Welfare Boards.
Intending pilgrims from Katsina state, especially those who paid for first class seats expressed worry over the BTA issued to them. It was gathered that the pilgrims who were expecting about $1500 USD were paid $1000 Dollars only.

A pilgrim who pleaded anonymity said the states pilgrim welfare board paid him $1000 Dollars having paid a first class seat which attracts $1500 as BTA.
Another intending pilgrim from Plateau state accused officials of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board of allegedly cutting his BTA by $250.
It was reported that pilgrims from Plateau state received a BTA of $750 after paying N1,035,000 for their hajj seats.
When contacted, the board’s Public Relations Officer Wada Haruna denounced the allegations as baseless.
He explained that the pilgrims from Plateau had paid for the lowest seat which cost about N1million adding that the remaining N35,000 covered expenses for local charges which include their uniforms, luggage as well as transportation in Saudi Arabia.
When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the Katsina state pilgrims welfare board, Abu Rimi said the issues arose from a recent circular issued to them from National Hajj commission and CBN that only $1000 Dollars is to be paid to all those who had earlier deposited for first class seat as against $1500 dollars.

Credit: dailytrust

NAHCON Denies Buhari Gave Foreign Exchange Waiver To Hajj Pilgrims

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Sunday said the Federal Government has not given foreign exchange waiver to Nigerian pilgrims performing hajj this year.

The commission’s Head of Media, Uba Mana, said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

“The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria wishes to draw the attention of the public that the Federal Government has not given foreign exchange waiver to Nigerian pilgrims performing this year’s hajj,” Mr. Mana said.

“If there is one thing that the Government did for the Nigerian pilgrims, it was to allow the exchange rate prevalent at the time of payment of Hajj fare in February when the current flexible exchange rate was not in action to subsist.

“It is therefore wrong and mischievous for some persons or media organisations to peddle unfounded claims that the Federal Government gave the Nigerian pilgrims a waiver,’’ he said in the statement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Presidency had earlier clarified the concessions of foreign exchange rate of N191 to one dollar for the 2016 intending pilgrims to Hajj and Jerusalem.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the policy was non-discriminatory.

He said that it had been approved before the current foreign exchange regime came into effect.

 He also said that that the Central Bank of Nigeria had confirmed the approval, wondering why the apex bank had not notified the public earlier.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been roundly condemned for approving foreign exchange concession to pilgrims at a time the economy is struggling.

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