Intending pilgrims in Kano State have faulted the classification of payment made by the State Pilgrims Board. The classification came after the federal government increased the rate for the 2024 hajj.
The intending pilgrims said even among those that completed their payments based on the earlier arrangement of N4.7 million in February, there were those that were issued with receipts and those that were not on the first batch that were not issued with receipts of payments they made.
An intending pilgrim, AbdulRauf Salahuddeen, who completed the earlier payment in February but was not issued with receipt complained that they had been asked to pay about N3.5 million as increment on what they had earlier paid.
He told LEADERSHIP Friday in Kano yesterday that even as the state government had paid N500,000 as subsidy for all the intending pilgrims, they will still be paying over N8 million for Hajj this year which has a difference of N1.6 million with those that were issued receipt on payment.
“We made payment in full around February, we were not told that we were late. They only told us that we are going to be issued a receipt for the payment when they finish with the first batch.
“They instructed us to go for the training programme saying that our receipt will be ready soon. We then relaxed.
“We were later told that there had been an increment in the money. When we paid, we were asked to pay about N4.7 million. We paid but were not issued with receipts.
“We visited the Pilgrims Board yesterday having heard of the increase announced recently on the payment to confirm how it affects us.
“They told us that we are going to pay the increment announced by the federal government. However, they told us that the increment is in categories.
“Those with receipts have a different increment and those without receipts also have their own increment. Those that were not given receipts are to pay N3.5 million. Meaning that you are paying about N8.4 million.
“For those who have been issued receipts, they will pay an increment of N1.9 million.
“We were shocked with the development because we have made complete payment since February. So they claimed that we were supposed to have been informed that whosoever made payment any time above 12th of the month has paid late.
“Now we have observed that the difference between those of us that don‘t have receipts and those with receipts is over N1.6 million.
More so, it came out of our knowledge that the Kano State Government had subsidised the payment for the state indigenes by paying N 500,000 for each of the intending pilgrims. Even with this, it means that those with receipts will pay N1.4 and those who were not given receipts will pay N3 million.
Our outcry at the moment is that if they insist, we pay N3 million, we cannot afford it. We will ask for the refund of our money. They said everything will close today by noon.
If they accept, we will pay N1.4 million. We will complete the payment but if they insist on N3 million, we will seek a refund of our money,“ he said.
All efforts to get the public relations office to comment on the matter did not succeed as there were no response to phone calls and text messages sent to the office.
