President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday announced that the current administration would not fund any delegation to this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia.

He said this was a drastic measure to cut government expenditure.

By this move, the government is expected to save about $1 million in foreign expenses and about N30 million in local costs.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who stated this on behalf of the government, however, quoted the Buhari as saying that the decision was not targeted at any individual or group as may be construed in certain quarters.

Shehu equally said that financially buoyant states were free to sponsor their pilgrims, if they could spare the funds.

“The states can deal with that but this year at the center, we will not be involved” Shehu said.”
He added that the decision would not prevent the federal government from playing its statutory roles of providing consular, medical and security services to Nigerians on pilgrimage.

The country is presently undergoing a financial crunch that has seen the federal government providing bailout funds for states unable to meet monthly financial obligations.

The president had also promised to cut government spending in a desperate attempt to pull the nation back from imminent financial collapse.