Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has allocated approximately $186,800 to cover the shortfall in the Travel Basic Allowance (BTA) for Hajj pilgrims from the state.
This was announced by the state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Layode, while addressing the fifth and final group of pilgrims before their departure on Saturday.
According to a statement by Layode, signed by the ministry’s Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Taofeek Lawal, around 1,868 pilgrims experienced a $100 shortfall each due to forex instability.
The commissioner explained that although $500 had initially been announced as the BTA for each pilgrim, this amount was later reduced by the Nigerian Central Bank and the National Hajj Commission. This adjustment affected many pilgrims, particularly those in the second batch, who had already received their full allowance.
Layode highlighted that the governor’s intervention aimed to address the concerns of the pilgrims, who deemed the reductions “unfair and unacceptable.”
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The statement read, in part, “Honourable Layode, who is also the Amir-ul-Hajj, informed the pilgrims that once Mr. Governor became aware of the situation, he generously approved the payment of the $100 shortfall for each of the 1,868 pilgrims, pending resolution by NAHCON and the CBN.
“He also reiterated that Governor Sanwo-Olu, being a promise keeper, would fulfill his commitments by covering the cost of the Hadaya (sacrificial ram), ziyyarah (visitation) to historical sites in both Madinah and Makkah, and monetizing the Ihram clothes for each pilgrim. He urged them not to pay anyone for these items.”
Related news reports included statements from the Lagos Speaker and the Christian Association of Nigeria mourning Sanwo-Olu’s deputy chief of staff, and a group urging the governor to monitor dredging projects.
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