A civic advocacy group, Oganihu Ebonyi, has condemned the Ebonyi State Government for approving ₦551.5 million to subsidize the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, calling for an immediate policy reversal.
In a statement released on Sunday, the group labeled religious subsidies as wasteful spending amid economic hardship, urging Governor Francis Nwifuru to redirect funds to critical sectors like security, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
Represented by Nwachukwu Agwu (Director of Research & Publications) and Charles Otu (Director of Media & Communications), the group expressed outrage over the allocation, arguing that state-sponsored religious trips consume billions of naira from public funds.
“In a time of extreme economic hardship, inflation, and unpaid salaries, prioritizing religious subsidies over essential governance is a betrayal of public trust,” they stated.
Oganihu Ebonyi also criticized the government’s poor security response, questioning why religious funding takes precedence over safeguarding lives and property.
The group advised Governor Nwifuru to restructure his cabinet, appointing diaspora-based technocrats to drive economic reforms and governance improvements.
