Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a civil society organisation, has commended the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for refunding $50 to each of its pilgrims who paid for Hadaya following the downward price review it got from the company that it engaged to slaughter animals on their behalf.
Hadaya, the sacrifice of an animal such as ram, is one of the key rites of the Muslim pilgrimage.
New Citizen has reported the announcement of the refund which was made recently by Air Vice Marshall Muhammad Rabi’u Dabo (rtd), a board member of the agency who chaired the state Hadaya Committee.
Dabo also disclosed that each pilgrim would be paid either in Saudi Arabia or Nigeria, depending on their preferences.
IHR in a statement signed on its behalf by Ibrahim Muhammed on Sunday in Mecca, said the transparency exhibited by the Kaduna agency must be commended, especially coming at a time of too much secrecy surrounding the issues of payment of Hadaya services by pilgrims and its execution from some states.
He said pilgrims deserved to know how much was expended on the Hadaya project on their behalf whether it was less or higher than what they were charged by the committee set up by state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, saying “such will create atmosphere of trust and confidence in the minds of general public and prospective pilgrims.”
He said: “We are aware that some states charge higher than Kaduna State to undertake Hadaya for their pilgrims, but we are yet to hear of any form of public announcement on how much was involved or refund.”
The CSO said the Kaduna officials deserved commendation because it realised that about 700 pilgrims who initially paid for the Hadaya ahead of their trip to Saudi Arabia are the ones to be refunded after the foreign exchange differentials.
It added: “We urge all officials to emulate the example set by Kaduna State and refund pilgrims if there is any downward review of price of rams purchased for their pilgrims. Doing so will earn you rewards more than you can imagine.”
