PASSIONATE APPEAL TO MR PRESIDENT TO INTERVENE ON HIGH COST OF 2024 HAJJ

Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,
President,
Federal Repu blic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock,
Abuja.
March 21st, 2024.

Mr President sir,

PASSIONATE APPEAL TO MR PRESIDENT TO INTERVENE ON HIGH COST OF 2024 HAJJ.

I am through this medium appealing to your excellency to intervene in the process of costing this Hajj operation.

1. As a result of different regimes of rates of exchange given the tour operators and the state pilgrims board , it has become difficult for private tour operators to keep their clients.

2. The private operators who had earlier collected a deposit of 5M for exercise while state pilgrims took a deposit of 4.5M, got a letter from NAHCON on Monday that a total amount of 5,013,473.33 is to be paid for services to rendered by Saudi authorities and Accommodation in Makkah and Madinah. The rate of exchange used in coming to the above cost was based on the rate of N1,625.35 to $1. Suffice to say that the rate of exchange from Monday till today is between 1,400 and 1,450.

3. There is no transparency in the rate used for state pilgrims which rumour had it that it is at the rate of 850 to a $1

4. That unexpected high rate of exchange the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria base their calculations on will affect the private operators negative and capable of disrupting the Holy primage and sending them out of business.

5. That the President should interve on the issue of 4days deadline given to operators and extend to one more week to be able to sensitize their pilgrims.

6. Your excellency sir, I am sure that you will intervene and put succour and smile in the face of the private operators.

7. I am appealing to the President to look into the high level of disparity in the exchange rate regime between the state sponsored pilgrims and those of the private tour operators.

SIGNED:
Mohammed Oyinlomo Danmole
Former commissioner for home affairs in Lagos State.