The commissioner for Personnel Policy Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim made the call yesterday in Abuja after NAHCON meeting with Chief Executives of the SPWB.

He said the payment which commences December will end in April 2017, when the commission would announce official fares for the 2017 hajj.

Daily Trust reports that intending pilgrims for 2016 hajj exercise paid minimum fare of N998, 248.92 (with $750 Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), medium fare N1, 047, 498.92 (with $1,000 BTA), and maximum fare N1, 145, 998.92 (with $1,500 BTA) for the northern departure zones.

While pilgrims for the southern departure zones paid, minimum fare N1, 008, 197.42 (with $750 BTA), medium fare (with $1,000 BTA) N1, 057, 447.42 while the maximum fare N1, 155, 947.42 (with $1,500 BTA).

“We want to maintain the accommodations in the Markasiyya areas in Madinah and want to extend same in Makkah. We want to ensure that accommodations for Nigerians in Saudi Arabia will not be more than 1km to Haram in the two cities. We want to improve on the gains of last year, if you plan well, you get better results,” Ibrahim said. 

He also said the commission would make the fares announcement based on the official currency exchange rate.

When asked to clarify on the new visa fees and rules the Saudi Arabia Authority, Ibrahim said they are yet to be formally notified the Kingdom as there were meetings with Saudi Arabia Ambassador who did not mentioned the amount.

 Source: Daily Trust