VIDEO: Nasir El Rufai Told What Is More Important Than Hajj

Nasir El Rufai told the press that Nigeria can’t afford subsidise Hajj pilgrimage any longer.  

Rufai says healthcare and education in the state are more important than Hajj

Kaduna state governor said the authorities will no longer subsidise Hajj pilgrimage.

“Nigeria’s Constitution does not recognise any religion as a state religion. Accordingly we do not think it is appropriate, strictly interpreting the Constitution, that public funds should be used to advance any religious courses,” – told the press El Rufai.

Hundreds of thousands Nigerians depend on the government to pay for them to travel to Saudi Arabia to observe Hajj.

Last year it cost the government over $13 million. Multiple that amount by 35 Nigerian states, all using public money for Nigeria’s pilgrims and it adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Government funding of Christian pilgrimages is being stopped too. Some say the ban will tackle corruption among government officials that decide who goes.

“Means are inflated, prices of the trips are inflated, and those officials have cuts for themselves. They negotiate with hotels and airlines, and they have their personal interest in that,” – claims James Movel Wuye from Interfaith mediation centre, adding that “for me that is evil in itself, a holy thing known in an evil way”. 

The state government says the saved funds will be used to improve public services, but many pilgrims still feel very unhappy. They feel payment to be able travel to Hajj is the most important thing the government can do for citizens who can’t afford to pay for themselves to go.

Goni Abdullahi Usman, who is a teacher in Kaduna, says that “I’m really unhappy with the government’s decision to stop paying for us to go to Hajj, because poor people like us depend on the government, it’s not as if they don’t have the money, this new government has come as a result of our prayers, the prayers of the common men and now look at what they’re doing”.

Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai said on Saturday, August 15, that the state government had saved N221.81m due to its decision not to sponsor the 105 Hajj.

El-Rufai noted there was need to save the money in order to address other pressing matters such as qualitative education and healthcare.