Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has rescued the state’s intending pilgrims from suffering from the shortfall in their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) as a result of epileptic foreign exchange rates.
The State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Layode, made this known, saying that Governor Sanwo-Olu had to step in following a recent protest by some intending pilgrims who alleged irregularities with $400 BTA given to them instead of $500 as announced by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON).
NAHCON, it was gathered, had used N1,252.01 per dollar to calculate Hajj fare to give $500 as BTA to each pilgrim, while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released BTA at N1,530.86 per dollar, which gives each pilgrim $415 instead of $500
Briefing newsmen during the departure of the fifth and last batch of the pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Layode said that Governor Sanwo-Olu approved the payment of the $100 shortfall for each of the pilgrims, pending the resolution of the matter by both NAHCON and CBN.
The commissioner commended the governor for the timely intervention and kind-heartedness, which, according to him, will go along to ease the affairs of the pilgrims.
He assured the pilgrims that the promises made by Governor Sanwo-Olu to pay for their sacrificial rams, Ihram clothes, and ziyyarah (visitation) to historical sites both in Makkah and Madinah would all be fulfilled.
Layode, however, enjoined them to be cautious of their conduct while in the holy land, saying that they should avoid anything that could bring the state and the county at large to disrepute.
It would be recalled that the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board commenced its airlifting exercise on Friday, May 17, with 425 pilgrims, and this was immediately followed by the second batch of another 425 pilgrims on Saturday, May 18.
The third batch of 428 pilgrims was airlifted on Thursday, May 22, which was also followed by the fourth flight of 312 pilgrims on Friday, May 24, while the fifth and final batch of 256 pilgrims departed Nigeria on Sunday, May 26, 2024, bringing the total number of pilgrims airlifted by the state to 1,846.
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