The Kano State Governor, Mallam Abba Yusuf, has released another N376 million to supplement the shortfall in Basic Travel Allowance for state intending pilgrims.
The governor has also announced the appointment of the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam, as head of the government delegation and Amir Hajj for the 2024 pilgrimage.
Yusuf’s intervention was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, on Monday.
According to the release, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had announced a BTA of $500 per pilgrim, based on the official exchange rate of N1,250 to a dollar.
However, the volatility of the foreign exchange rate further weakened the Nigeria currency, thereby pushing the exchange rate to over N1,500 to the dollar.
Yusuf, who spoke during the annual hajj demonstration exercise on Monday, said the initial BTA rate would have left each pilgrim short by $121,000.
He said, “To rectify the inconsistency, the state government has approved supplementary funds to augment the 3,100 state pilgrims with N121,000 each totalling N376,310,000.
“The additional support was to enable the pilgrims to comfort and smooth the performance of the Hajj rites.
“The deputy governor would oversee the welfare of the pilgrims comprehensively, including provisions of food, lodging, transportation, healthcare, and other necessities.”
The governor had earlier released N500m in April to subsidise the sudden notice of a hajj fare increase of N1.9 million by NAHCON.
Acknowledging the vital role of security agencies and NAHCON in Kano’s Hajj operations, the governor expressed his gratitude for their assistance.
