Worries Over High Cost Of Hajj 2024, As Operators Seek Tinubu’s Intervention
By Frederick Wright
There are concerns among Hajj operators in the country on the high cost Hajj 2024, occasioned by the exchange rate.
Some of the concerned stakeholders have therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to swiftly intervene in the process of costing this year’s Hajj operation.
Former Commissioner for Home Affairs in Lagos State, Mohammed Oyinlomo Danmole, told SlyeNews that the private tour operators are finding it difficult to operate due to the unstable pricing of the operations.
“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,” he said.
Oyinlomo said: “I am through this medium appealing to your excellency to intervene in the process of costing this Hajj operation.”
According to him, the private operators who had earlier collected a deposit of N5 million for the exercise while state pilgrims took a deposit of N4.5 million, got a letter from NAHCON on Monday that a total amount of N5,013,473.33 is to be paid for the services to be 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, he said.
However, the rate of exchange as at Thursday was N1,382 to a $1
“There is no transparency in the rate used for state pilgrims which rumour had it that it is at the rate of N850 to a $1”, he stated.
Oyinlomo said: “That unexpected high rate of exchange the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria base their calculations on will affect the private operators negatively and capable of disrupting the Holy primage and sending private Hajj operators out of business.
“That the President should intervene on the issue of the 4days deadline given to operators and extend to one more week to be able to sensitize their pilgrims.
“Your excellency sir, I am sure that you will intervene and put succour and smile in the face of the private operators.
“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,” he said.
