A group under the aegis of the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has commended the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for promising to refund $50 to its pilgrims, following the downward price review it got from the company that it engaged to slaughter animals on their behalf.

A board member of the agency who chaired the Hadaya Committee, Air Vice Marshall Muhammad Rabiu Dabo (rtd), who dropped the cheery news, also disclosed that the pilgrims would either be paid in Saudi Arabia or Nigeria, depending on their preferences.

IHR in a statement issued on Sunday in Makkah by its National Coordinator Ibrahim Muhammad, 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.

“Pilgrims deserves to know how much was expended on the Hadaya project on their behalf whether it less or higher than what they are charged by the committee sets up by States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards – such will create atmosphere of trust and confidence in the minds of general public and prospective pilgrims.

“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 refunded.

The Kaduna officials deserve commendation particularly 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 foreign exchange differentials.

“We urge all officials to emulate from 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 imagined,” the group stressed.