Hajj 2018: States urged to stick to agreed mode of payment

THE Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has called on states’ pilgrims welfare boards to reduce the minimum deposit for the 2018 hajj fare to N300, 000 per month to allow low income earners cope with the mode of payment.

The call was contained in a statement signed by the organisation’s National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed and Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Mahmoud, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Kaduna.

“We are of the belief that spreading 2018 hajj fare packages into staggered and affordable monthly remittance will give intending pilgrims the much-needed monetary flexibility to pay the fare without serious strain on their meagre incomes,” the group said.

NAHCON and states pilgrims boards had agreed at a recent meeting in Abuja that those wishing to perform hajj in 2018 should make a monthly payment of N300,000 to make N1.2 million in four months pending when hajj seat allocation will be done by the Federal Government.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, NAHCON permanent commissioner in charge of policy and personnel management, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf Adebayo, said “NAHCON has directed states’ pilgrims welfare boards and agencies to commence registration for 2018 hajj. We have also told them to peg the minimum deposit by pilgrims to N300, 000 monthly so that in four months they can be able to make a deposit of N1.2 million.”

But IHR alleged that despite the resolution reached at the Abuja meeting, two certain states were asking intending pilgrims to make a deposit of between N1.3 million and N800,000 at a go.

It, therefore, called on the states’ pilgrims boards to review their minimum deposit benchmark to N300,000 as directed by NAHCON.

“We also call on other states that are yet to commence registration to toe the line suggested by NAHCON,” IHR said.

“Over 75 per cent intending pilgrims in Nigeria are farmers and low income earners. Secondly, the current economic reality should have been factored into consideration before arriving at the decision by the two states pilgrims’ boards.

“NAHCON has already set March ending as the deadline for the registration of 2018 hajj. N300,000 paid in five months from November is N1.5 million and such amount will likely be able to meet the 2018 hajj fare package,” the organisation added.