Following the decision or the Nigerian Senate asking the federal government to make the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, supply dollar to intending pilgrims at N200, Nigerians have reacted with heavy criticism of the latest order.
The call which places the subsidy rate for intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia or Israel at 37 per cent was heavily frowned at by Nigerians who noted that the move will further stress the worsening economic condition in the country.
The Nigerian naira currently exchanges for the greenback at N315 to a dollar and about N365 to the dollar at the parallel market.
The request made by the Nigerian senate on behalf of the intending pilgrims however ignores the provisions in the approved Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, which covers all expenditure plans for the year 2017 and the earlier approved Appropriation Act.
Recall that the motion was brought to the floor of the senate by the committee on foreign affairs on “Extortion of Pilgrims” led by the National Hajj Commission, a former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, APC-Kebbi.
Adamu Aliero before the senate said: “The committee strongly recommends the concession of N200 to $1 for 2017 Hajj, to bring down cost to the bearable level.”
In reaction to the move, Nigerians trooped to their social media pages to register their dissatisfaction as some claimed it will further worsen the economic condition of the country by further reducing the nation’s treasury. Others however claimed it is a means to amass wealth by some corrupt persons.
Read some of the reactions on social media below:
