The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has commenced the announcement of the 2017 Hajj fares with a call on relevant bodies to start the process of collecting and remitting fares to the commission.
The announcement was made at the ongoing state Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare boards, agencies and commissions meeting at NAHCON headquarters in Abuja.
An official of the Commission said six states – Nasarawa, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Adamawa and Yobe – have announced the hajj fares to be paid by pilgrims.
While Nasarawa pilgrims are to pay N1,544,894.16 for this year’s hajj, Niger pilgrims are expected to pay N1,525,483.30, Kaduna, N1,535,503.68, Kano, N1,537,859.97, Adamawa, N1,530,101.08 and Yobe, N1,520,101.18, respectively.
The packages include $800 general Basic Travel Allowance (BTA).
He said the packages exclude hadaya (sacrificial ram) fees which has been fixed at N38,000 for this year’s exercise.
The boards are expected to collect the sums and remit same to Jaiz Bank Plc, which is the appointed bank for the collection of the money.
Unlike the practice of uniform fares of the past, each of the 36 states of the federation has different fares based on the services to be rendered to pilgrims and local distance mileage, among other considerations.