The Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Malam Salihu S Abubakar, has revealed that N76 million was realised from the foreign exchange differentials of pilgrims’ Basic Travelling Allowances(BTA).
A statement issued by Governor Uba Sani’s Chief Press Secretary, Malam Ibraheem Musa on Friday, recalled that the equivalent of the N76 million has been disbursed to Kaduna pilgrims, where each of them received 123 Saudi Riyals as refund.
The statement added that the Executive Chairman of the Agency made the explanation in an exclusive interview with select broadcast journalists in Makkah on Thursday.
According to Malam Salihu, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria(NAHCON) had earlier pegged the $500 Basic Traveling Allowance of each pilgrim at N1,143 per dollar, amounting to N721, 500 per pilgrim.
‘’However, the value of naira had appreciated as at the time of the airlift of pilgrims; when the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) was giving pilgrims their BTAs, naira exchanged for N1,350.74 to a dollar,’’ he added.
The Executive Chairman further explained that the naira equivalent of $500 BTA then decreased to N675,370 per pilgrim, adding that the forex differentials amounted to N46, 130 per pilgrim.
‘’We then wasted no time in announcing to the pilgrims that each of them was entitled to a refund of 123 Saudi Riyals. And we have finished disbursing the money,’’ he added.
Malam Salihu faulted the argument that the money should have been channelled to the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, to facilitate Hajj operations.
He argued that the money is
