By Yusuf Olatunji
The Gateway State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON has doused the palpable tension among the Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims by ameliorating the shortfall in their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) as a result of unexpected vagaries of the foreign exchange rates.
While NAHCON used 1,252.01 per dollar to calculate hajj fare (BTA inclusive) to give 500 USD as BTA to each pilgrim, the CBN released BTA at 1,530.86 per dollar, which gave each pilgrim 415USD instead of 500USD earlier proposed.
Going by this development and in order to give each pilgrim 500USD at the new exchange rate of 1,530.86 per dollar, the differential to be paid for the State 934 pilgrims stood at N119,560,712.70.
In the face of the shortfall therefore, and in an effort to make the 934 State pilgrims perform their hajj rites without stress as well as making them comfortable during the hajj exercise, the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun with dispatch, has intervened by paying BTA differential of the sum of 119,560,712.70 for all the 934 State pilgrims for 2024 Hajj Exercise.
This prompt intervention by the Governor will enable the pilgrims to collect 500USD agreed without blemish and douse every anxiety earlier caused by the sudden increment.
To this end, the Consultant to the Governor on Islamic Affairs, Sheik Iskeel Lawal, expressed appreciation to the Governor for the timely intervention and prayed for the continuous success of the administration.
Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun, has implored the pilgrims to be patriotic and pray fervently for the state in particular and Nigeria at large, adding that the courage and sagacity exhibited by President Bola Tinubu in the quest of changing the ugly narrative of the past require robust spiritual support from all Nigerians.
"As you are going on this special and highly essential spiritual exercise in the holy land, you are expected to pray for the sustainability of this tempo of development and transformation embarked upon by our administration in Ogun State.
"In the same vein, our President, Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu needs your supplications and fervent prayer to continue with his courageous and selfless move towards changing the ugly past for the survival of our nation", Abiodun averred .
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