The Kano State Government has promised to subsidize the travel of nearly 3,000 Muslims who have already indicated interest in participating in this year’s Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca.
In a post on his X handle, the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, said N500,000 will be subsidized for each of the pilgrims to assist them bear the high cost of the travel which only the air ticket is estimated to cost N1.9 million per passenger.
His post reads: “Following the sudden increase of N1.9 million Hajj fare increase by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, I have approved a subsidy of N500,000 each for intending pilgrims from Kano embarking on the 2024 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
“With this, intending pilgrims who have registered and paid the initial total deposit of N4.7 million and N4. 5 million with the State Pilgrims Board will now deposit N1.4 million out of the N1. 9 million increase.”
The governor’s post received negative feedback from many Muslims who reacted to it.
Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar who posted via his X handle, @jrnaib2 said: “N500,000 x 2,906 = N1,453,000,000. Obviously this is a misplacement of priority. In Islam, Hajj is only compulsory to those who can afford it. How can you spend over N1.4 billion on a few individuals? Meanwhile, there are thousands of unemployed youth wandering across Kano which Is a security threat, most of our public schools and hospitals are not in good condition. Most places across the metropolitan area have no access to clean water.
“Furthermore, Kano state government is still owing pensioners billions of naira in gratuity. It doesn’t make sense to be gifting money to privileged people while you’re still owing the poor pensioners billions of naira.
“Gaskia Mai Girma Gwamna kana buqatar mashawarta nagari (To be honest your excellency, you are in need of honest advisers.”