Civil Society Vows To Monitor Refunds To Hajj 2017 Pilgrims

Independent Hajj Reporters, a civil society organsiation that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities in Nigeria has promised to monitor the disbursement of refunds made to states pilgrims’ welfare boards by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.

The refunds are for services either not provided or rendered poorly during the 2017 hajj to its rightful beneficiaries, the pilgrims.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed and publicity secretary, Abubakar Mahmoud.

The statement said “In an advertorial published recently, the national hajj commission of Nigeria said it has facilitated  the recovery of refunds from service providers for services not rendered to 2017 hajj pilgrims and that such funds have been sent to states pilgrims welfare boards for immediate distribution to pilgrims.

The states and amount sent for disbursement as published by the Hajj Commission hajj are as follows: Kaduna pilgrims’ welfare boards got N129, 777.108.96. Sokoto pilgrims agency received 66,388.568.76, Zamfara State Muslim Pilgrims Boars collected N67,503, 914.37,  Bauchi states pilgrims welfare board got N47, 875, 183.40, State of Osun Muslim pilgrims boards paid N31, 726,699.29, Plateau states pilgrims boards collected N23, 934,388.65, Gombe states pilgrims boards received N25, 182,856,.51 while Ondo states pilgrims boards received N4,548, 471,.84.

Other states Muslim pilgrim boards that received similar funds are: Delta  N3, 157, 053.94, Cross River 313, 180.10 and Abia state with N884, 231.59

The group said “ we are committed to monitoring the disbursement of these monies and ensure that all pilgrims are sully refunded. We will do this in collaboration with all relevant security agencies”.

The civil society expresses its reservation on the foot-dragging by states Muslims pilgrims’ welfare boards that are yet to commence the disbursement of the money to the affected pilgrims even after receiving such funds for weeks.

“ Out of 11 states that has been given 2017 hajj refunds, only Osun states has released a statement urging its pilgrims to come forward for the refunds while other states are silent “

“It could be recalled that in 2015 hajj, a whooping sum of N1.8 billion naira was sent to states pilgrims’ welfare boards by the hajj commission for same purpose. While some states disbursed the funds accordingly, others deliberately created administrative bottlenecks that made it practically difficult for the funds to be disbursed”.

In view of the above, we are calling on the concerned states pilgrims welfare boards to commence immediate payment of the refunds to the affected pilgrims without further delay.  The statement added.