The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the 2016 Hajj fares with a call on relevant bodies to speed up the process of collecting and remitting the fares to the commission.

This is as the commission also honoured the FCT Minister Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello, who was the immediate past chairman of NAHCON, a former Commissioner Planning, Research Statistic Information and Library Service (PRSILS) Dr. Saleh Okenwa and a former commissioner representing the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Muhammad Babandede who is now the substantive Comptroller General of NIS and other retired staff of the commission yesterday in Abuja.

Spokesman of the commission Uba Mana said early collection and remittance was necessary to facilitate early conclusion of arrangements. He said other hajj components including suitcases and uniform to be used by the pilgrims, were to be determined by the state pilgrims' welfare boards, agencies and commissions in line with existing guidelines.

"The northern departure zones are: minimum fare 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)," he said. "The southern departure zones include: 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)," Mana added.

Speaking at the ceremony, NAHCON chairman Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, said those honoured contributed to the success of the commission over the years. The duo of Babandede and Okenwa who spoke on behalf of other honourees said they saw their working in NAHCON as a combination of working for the nation and serving Allah.