President John Dramani Mahama has firmly declared that the Hajj pilgrimage must remain a sacred, spiritual endeavor for Muslims, not a cash cow for organizers.
Addressing attendees at the sod-cutting ceremony for the new Hajj Village on February 28, he insisted that any surplus funds from the process should uplift Zongo communities, not line pockets.
“After taking office, we faced a tight timeline for this year’s Hajj, so we assembled a capable task force under Alhaji Collins Dauda to oversee it. Once this is done, we’ll establish the Board and name its chair,” Mahama explained.
He made it clear, however, that profit has no place in the pilgrimage. “I’ve directed the task force: pilgrimage is not a business. Neither they nor the Hajj Board should chase profits. If even a single cedi is left over, it goes to the needy or a community project—not into someone’s hands,” he asserted.
As preparations ramp up, the Task Force is pressing prospective pilgrims and accredited agents to finalize payments and paperwork by the March 13, 2025, deadline.
To ease the process, they’ve rolled out measures ensuring fully paid pilgrims can secure passports without hassle, urging agents to leverage this for their clients.
In a bid to broaden access, the Task Force also slashed the 2025 Hajj package fee from GH¢75,000 to GH¢62,000—a move Mahama hailed as a lifeline for Ghanaian Muslims striving to honor their faith.
By Marani Issah/thenewsbulletin24.com