Senate Investigates N1.5m Hajj Fares
The Senate Wednesday mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs to investigate what it described as exorbitant airfare of over N1.5 million fixed for the 2017 intending pilgrims and the feeding regime by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.
According to the Senate, the probe will help expose any sharp practice therein and make appropriate recommendation concerning its findings.
The Senate also urged the federal government to immediately direct NAHCON to review the hajj fare downwards to “a realistic, humane and fair amount affordable by pilgrims in this time of recession and economic hardship.”
It also asked the government to direct the NAHCON to “reverse the unpopular, much talked about ‘forced feeding policy’ since it negates the principle of freedom of choice for pilgrims”.
NAHCON has so far approved 2017 hajj fare packages for 23 States, Muslims Welfare Boards, Federal Capital Territory, FCT and the Armed Forces.
The resolutions of the Senate yesterday were sequel to a motion raised under Point of Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules on matter of urgent national importance by Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba, APC Sokoto South.
The motion, entitled, “ Extortion of Pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.”, was co-sponsored by 39 other senators, who are both Muslims and Christians.
In his presentation, Senator Danbaba affirmed that the 2017 Hajj fare packages lacked competitiveness, compared with the package offered by the private tours operators.
