Press Release
As part of his administration’s determination to support religious activities in the state, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has intervened by providing basic travel allowances differentials to 1232 state pilgrims heading to the holy land of Makkah.
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has once again extended his support to the Plateau State Pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj
He addressed the shortfall in their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) due to challenges in foreign exchange rates.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) used N1,252.01 per dollar to calculate the Hajj fare, inclusive of BTA, resulting in $500 BTA per pilgrim.
However, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released BTA at N1,530.86 per dollar, providing each pilgrim with $415 instead of $500.
To ensure that each pilgrim receives $500 at the new exchange rate, the differential payment for the state’s 1232 pilgrims is N188,496.00.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, in ensuring that the state pilgrims perform their Hajj rites without stress during the exercise, paid the BTA differential of N188,496.00 for all the 1232 Plateau Pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj exercise.
The Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Daiyabu Dauda, shared the cheering news and appealed to the pilgrims to continue praying for the peace and unity of Plateau State and the success of the “Time Is Now” administration, stating that the intervention by Governor Mutfwang will enable them to collect $500 as agreed.
He also confirmed that all the Plateau Muslim Pilgrims have been paid their BTA in addition to a befitting accommodation and the purchase of two Operational vehicles for the Board. A Fourteen-seater Bus in Jos and a Jeep at the Holy Land to ease their operations.
Governor Mutfwang had earlier admonished the Plateau Muslim Pilgrims to be good ambassadors and to pray for the peace and unity of Plateau and Nigeria during his farewell address to the pilgrims in Jos before their departure.
Yusuf Abdullahi Wase
For the Information unit
PSMPWB
31st May, 2024
