Lagos Govt Subsidizes Hajj With Over N2bn

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state has assisted residents who attended this year’s Holy Pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia with $186,000 to augment their Travel Basic Allowance, TBA.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Layode, while addressing pilgrims from the state who departed last weekend.

The allowance was given to the pilgrims before their departure to the Holy Land, Layode said.

The magazine reported that the federal government subsidized this year’s pilgrimage to the tune of over N90 billion to assist pilgrims attending the Islamic rituals in the Arabian nation.

Layode said in a statement signed by the ministry’s spokesman, Taofeek Lawal that close to 1900 pilgrims were subsidised with $100 each to cushion the effects of foreign exchange fluctuations

Part of the statement read, “Honourable Layode, who is also the Amir-ul-Hajj, told the pilgrims that immediately the attention of Mr. Governor was drawn to the development, he, in his kind-heartedness and magnanimity, approved the payment of the $100 shortfall for each of the 1,868 pilgrims, pending the resolution of the matter by both NAHCON and the CBN.

“He also reiterated that Governor Sanwo-Olu, being a promise keeper, would keep his promises by paying the cost of the Hadaya (sacrificial) ram, ziyyarah (visitation) to historical sites in both Madinah and Makkah, as well as monetising the Ihram clothes for each of them. He urged them not to pay anybody for the aforementioned items.”

Vice President Kassim Shetima had while speaking on the federal government subsidy last week stated that the decision to assist pilgrims was borne of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu position that this year’s Hajj must be hitch-free.

“Mr president has been committed to this year’s Hajji due to the economic situation, he has also contributed the sum of N90 billion to subsidise this year’s Hajj exercise to have a smooth and successful exercise,” he said.