CSO vows to monitor refunds to hajj 2017 pilgrims

By Usman Ibn A. Lapai

Kaduna

Independent Hajj Reporters, a civil society organsiation that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities in Nigeria, has promised to monitor the disbursement of refunds made to state pilgrims welfare boards by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The refunds are for services either not provided or rendered poorly during the 2017 hajj to the pilgrims.
“In an advertorial published recently, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria said it has facilitated the recovery of refunds from service providers for services not rendered to 2017 hajj pilgrims and that such funds have been sent to states pilgrims welfare boards for immediate distribution to pilgrims,” a statement by the group said.
The states and amount sent for disbursement as published by the Hajj Commission are as follows: Kaduna pilgrims welfare board got N129, 777.108.96; Sokoto pilgrims agency received 66,388.568.76; Zamfara state Muslim Pilgrims Board collected N67,503, 914.37; Bauchi state pilgrims welfare board got N47, 875, 183.40; State of Osun Muslim pilgrims boards paid N31, 726,699.29; Plateau state pilgrims board collected N23, 934,388.65; Gombe state pilgrims board received N25, 182,856.51 while Ondo state pilgrims board received N4,548, 471,.84.
Other state pilgrims boards that received similar funds are: Delta, N3, 157, 053.94; Cross River 313, 180.10 and Abia state with N884, 231.59.
The group said “we are committed to monitoring the disbursement of these monies and ensure that all pilgrims are fully refunded. We will do this in collaboration with all relevant security agencies.”
The civil society expressed its reservation on the foot-dragging by states Muslim pilgrims welfare boards that were yet to commence the disbursement of the money to the affected pilgrims even after receiving such funds for weeks.
“Out of 11 states that have been given 2017 hajj refunds, only Osun state has released a statement urging its pilgrims to come forward for the refunds while other states are silent, the statement said.
It could be recalled that in 2015 hajj, a whooping sum of N1.8 billion was sent to states pilgrims welfare boards by the hajj commission for same purpose while some states disbursed the funds accordingly, others deliberately created administrative bottlenecks that made it practically difficult for the funds to be disbursed.

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