Muhammad Ajah
When I wrote on the high expectations over 2017 hajj, I was just trying to prophesy from experience the nitty-gritty that has over the years controlled the fares paid by Nigerian pilgrims for their holy journeys to Makkah. May be it did not attract the attention of the authorities or the public because that was before the announcement of the 2017 Hajj fare by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) early this month. It is interesting to note that hajj management in Nigeria has been turned around and that going to hajj has become as easy as any other international journeys, except for the stresses from the tedious movements to attain the spiritual upliftment while in the holy sites.
What matter much for the trip are health and cash. Everything, every service rendered to a pilgrim in Saudi is paid for by the pilgrim.
All arrangements, including airlift of pilgrims, by every participating country in hajj are subjected to the rules and regulations issued every year by the Saudi government. And to passionately note is the fact that there is no other Kaa’ba or Masha’ir for hajj than the one in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hajj fares have been on the increase from the past years and since the establishment of NAHCON the federal government has always given concessionary exchange rate to fiscal transactions for pilgrimages. For hajj, its fare components are 98 percent transacted in dollar due to the fact that the activities and payments to service providers are outside the country. No one, including NAHCON, has control over dollar except the federal government.
Most of the service providers are Saudi-based. NAHCON can neither carry the Naira nor the Saudi Riyal from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia to pay the providers of accommodation, transportation, catering and health related services, among others. These are indispensible components of hajj fares. For 2017 Hajj, the costs of some services in Saudi Arabia, especially the transport within the holy sites and the new fire-proof tents in Mina and Arafah have increased by over 200 percent with the backing of Royal Decrees by the Saudi government. The facts to note are that the cost of major components of the 2017 Hajj fares is less than the 2016; they will be lower with lower concessionary exchange rates and definitely vary in accordance with airfares, accommodation and other charges by states.
Between 2009 and 2016, hajj fares went up by over a hundred percent. Minimum 2009 Hajj fares (with US$750 was N470,737.38 for north and N477,558.88 for south. In 2016, with the concessionary rate of N197 to US$1, the minimum fares for north was N998,248.92 and N1,047,498.92 for south. In 2012, Hajj fares were based on concessionary exchange rate support of N145. North paid N613,644.52 (minimum) and south N620,967.19. In 2013, pilgrims from the northern departure zones paid N636,496.52 (minimum), south N643,869.52. But the 2014 Hajj fares with exchange rate of N150 to one US$1 was N636,061.77 (minimum) for north and N639,636.77 for south.
It is important to thank Nigerians for showing concern to this rise in Hajj fare due to the high cost of forex. The action being taken by the National Assembly put the people representatives as responsible Nigerians standing for their people. The Senate has investigated the fare after meeting with NAHCON. The House of Representatives had set up an Ad-hoc Committee to interface with the NAHCON and other stakeholders to review the increase. The final effects of these moves are being awaited.
In the same vein, some civil society organizations have intervened.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) exonerated NAHCON from blame for the increase. The executive director, Ishaq Akintola, in a statement said the high exchange rate is responsible, which is beyond NAHCON’s control. He said the ensuing controversy from the 2017 Hajj fares was unnecessary and uncalled for. “The suspicion, distrust and allegations leveled at NAHCON are equally products of misinformation”, he observed, while opposing further subsidy for Hajj on account that 2017 hajj has already been subsidized at exchange rate of N305.
According to him, there is recession and Nigerian Muslims need to sacrifice and pay the approved fares. Further, he said that every special concession granted to Muslims will become a subject of controversy as Christian groups will challenge the federal government for taking such an action. “It is clear from the above details that it is highly naïve to blame NAHCON for the increase in hajj fare. Neither can FG or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) be blamed. The major correlate which determines hajj fare is the exchange rate.”
He called on the National Assembly (NASS) to wade in and lobby for more concession and appealed to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to intervene executively and secure a reduction for Muslim pilgrims.
Also, the National Coordinator and Publicity Secretary of the Independent Hajj Reporters, Ibrahim Muhammad and Abubakar Mahmud in Abuja appealed to the Federal Government to grant an exchange rate concession of N200 to a dollar to 2017 intending pilgrims. The group, though acknowledging the government’s policy of non-sponsorship of people on pilgrimage, noted that pilgrims are helpless when it comes to monetary foreign exchange policies.
Ajah wrote from Abuja
