The Forum of States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards has unanimously rejected the idea of giving Nigerian Hajj Pilgrims an ATM credit card as a replacement for cash for payment of their BTA in this year’s hajj.
A highly placed source who attended an online meeting held yesterday night between NAHCON and States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards informed HAJJ REPORTERS that a CBN representative in the meeting raised the issue of payment of BTA by card and cash.
The source said that the “SPWBs leadership protested against that citing a 2024 meeting with CBN where issues raised were not answered by CBN. They stated that there are only 5 ATMs in the Haram ( Scarcity of ATMs in the Haram).
It was further learned that “The Commissioner operations throw his support on the position of the states by suggesting that there is need for a feasibility visit to Saudi Arabia Arabian be undertaken to study the situation.
The CBN representative insisted that the issue of card issuance is a matter of policy of the CBN. That CBN is not selling dollars and has only one rate for dollars, not 2. That commercial banks are responsible for dollars.
Thereafter “Forum members insisted that policies are made for people and must be workable and in the interest of the people. He therefore proposed that the CBN hold a meeting with all stakeholders and the directors of the CBN to see how the challenges will be doused.
