JUMADA-AWWAL 3, 1429 A.H.
FRIDAY, MAY 9 2008
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Kano govt okays interim Hajj fares ... N446,631 is maximum, N336,631 minimum --says K/Mata
By NASIR A. TAHIR
IN line with directives given by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Kano state government has announced the sum of N446,631.40 and N356,631.40 as 2008 Hajj fares for maximum and minimum seats, respectively.
The Director-General of the state Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Sani Lawan Kofar Mata, made this known at a press conference held in his office yesterday, pointing however, that the fares announced stand as deposit, pending further announcement from the national commission.
He explained that the decision by NAHCON to direct states to collect last year’s fares was to avoid delay in the preparation of the forthcoming Hajj, pointing out that NAHCON will come out with the standard amount to be paid by intending pilgrims at the end of a meeting between the commission, state pilgrims boards and Saudi Arabian authorities scheduled to hold in the holyland between 17th-24th of this month.
Alhaji Lawan Kofar Mata disclosed that the meeting will discuss on accommodation at the Holyland of Makkah and Madina, pointing out that in view of the Saudi Arabian authorities’ plan to demolish about 3,000 to 4,000 houses in Makkah there may be hike in accommodation charges that may likely result in the increase of Hajj fares.
The director-general stressed that the outcome of the Saudi meeting and the decision reached between NAHCON and airline operators would give final picture of the actual fares to be paid by intending pilgrims from Nigeria, adding the N446,631.40 and N356,631.40 they were directed to collect stand as national Hajj deposit scheme.
He said following the development, Kano State Pilgrims board has now commenced collection of the fares as directed by NAHCON, explaining that the 60 per cent Hajj seats earlier reserved by the board when it recently announced N270,000 as first instalmental deposit for the 2008 Hajj had been released for intending pilgrims from Kano.
While appealing to President Umaru Musa Yar’adua to restore subsidy on Hajj, the pilgrim’s board chief executive observed that the removal of the subsidy will only succeed in making things more difficult for ordinary Nigerian pilgrims.
Alhaji Lawan Kofar Mata, also cautioned intending pilgrims to adhere strictly to new rules governing entry into Saudi Arabia, stressing the need for any intending pilgrims to thumb-print on the form being provided for filling.
The director-general pointed out that any intending pilgrim who failed to thumb-print the relevant documents by himself or herself risks the danger of being stopped at Saudi Arabia’s entry ports, adding that to avoid any mistake, intending pilgrims must endeavour to turn out for screening exercise being conducted every year by the board.
