Senate Chief Whip Demand For Subsidy For First-Timers.

Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has called on the federal and state governments to subsidize Hajj fees for first-timers intending to go to the Holy Land.

Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, stated this while reacting to the increase in Hajj fees by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, while, describing it as unfair and a deliberate plan to deny Nigerian Muslims, especially first-timers the opportunity to participate in the exercise.

Reacting in a statement in Abuja , the lawmaker said, NAHCON, cannot ask intending pilgrims who earlier paid the old fees to pay an extra N2 million a week to the end of registration, adding that, the five pillars of Islam, which are, Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj, were reasons Muslims embark on the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

NAHCON’s spokesperson, Fatima Sanda-Usara in a statement declared the new rate adjustment of N1,474.00 to a dollar, while, about 49,000 intending pilgrims under the public quota, had earlier paid the sum of N4.9 million to the commission when the naira was still at N897 to a dollar at the banks.

Ndume called on President Bola Tinubu to approve a subsidy for the Hajj fares to enable first-timers to embark on a trip to the Holy Land.