Nigeria Senate wants N200 exchange rate for pilgrims

Senate  called on the federal government to engage in discussions with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to review the 50-50 carriage

By Ezrel Tabiowo Abuja

Th e Senate Committee on Foreign Aff airs yesterday asked the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, extend concession on the Naira – Dollar exchange to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC). Th is was just as the Commission debunked all allegations of extortion as reported in some news outlets recently, stating that due process was followed in arriving at the cost fi xed for this year’s Hajj. Accordingly, the committee recommended to the federal government the concession of N200 to $1 for the 2017 Hajj to cut down on the cost for intending pilgrims.

Th e Senate, while calling on the federal government to engage in discussions with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to review the 50-50 carriage of pilgrims between Nigeria and Saudi Arabian Airlines, stressed that “doing so would provide more opportunities for more indigenous airlines to participate in the Hajj operations.” Th ese were parts of recommendations contained in the report of the Senate committee sequel to investigations into the hike in airfare to this year’s Hajj exercise, and alleged extortion of pilgrims by the Hajj commission.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (APC, Oyo Central), in her presentation of the report, said the committee in its fi ndings discovered that “the Hajj Commission did not unilaterally fi x the airfare for the 2017 Hajj, but engaged the services of experts from the aviation sector, specifi cally the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.” She said “the process went through series of negotiations and due diligence, adding that “the approved airfare for 2016 Hajj was between $1,700 and $1,750, whilst for 2017, the fares are between $1,650 and $1,700.

” Th e Committee on its part, however, warned that “tour operators must be cautioned to stop making Hajj arrangement on presumption until the whole processes are conclude and the actual cost of all the relevant services are arrived at, so as not to mislead Nigerians.” It also said “NAHCON must be made to wield the bid stick on any erring tour operator to bring sanity to the system and ensure value for money to the Nigerian pilgrims who spent their hard-earned money to perform their religious duties.”

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