BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – In a bid to reduce the cost of pilgrimage to a bearable level, the Senate on Thursday called on the Federal Government to give N200 to dollar concession to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) once in every year.
This was one of the recommendations put forward by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on ‘The Extortion of Pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria’ presented by the Chairman, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, at plenary.
“This is with a view to providing opportunities for more indigenous Nigerian airlines to participate in the Hajj operations. This will give Nigeria varieties in choosing the air carrier. “The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria should expedite action on the establishment of Hajj Savings Schemes in compliance with Section 7(1 and 2) of the NAHCON Act.
“The Nigeria Government and its economic team must do everything possible to improve on the Nigerian monetary policy which would expectedly guarantee a long-time stable relationship of the Naira with other currencies,” she said.
According to Sunmonu, no less than 98 per cent of the entire Hajj operations were dollars-denominated, with only two per cent as naira content.
In his contribution, Sen. Ali Wakil (APC-Bauchi) said there was need for an ad hoc committee to look into the matter of feeding and transportation of the pilgrims, adding, “We should make laws that are truly going to guide our people because we have MTEF which says the exchange is N305.”
“If with passing MTEF nobody should be given N200, but businessmen are getting N200, then, definitely pilgrims deserve N200 as well,” he said.
Senate President Bukola Saraki called on Senators to ensure that pilgrimage was not turn into money-making venture.
The Senate on Thursday accepted the recommendations but opposed the request on NAHCON to ensure improved feeding for Nigerian contingents to all designated points. The upper chamber said feeding should be left to the pilgrims.
