Don’t profit from Hajj - President Mahama instructs Hajj board

President John Dramani Mahama has made it clear that the government will not profit from this year's Hajj pilgrimage. 

To achieve that, he has instructed the Hajj Board to take charge of organising the process, focusing on reducing travel costs for aspiring pilgrims.

"I've instructed the Task Force that Hajj is not a business. Hajj is not meant for profit. The Hajj Task Force must not structure things to make a profit. We do not want to profit from Hajj.

After the performance of Hajj, if there is even one cedi left, that money should be donated to the poor or used for a project in the Muslim communities," President Mahama said.

President Mahama made this known last Friday when he cut the sod for the construction of a new Hajj Village at the airport in Accra.

The construction of the new Hajj Village, which will serve as a modern well-equipped and dignified facility for departing pilgrims, will take 24 months to complete.

The edifice includes a fully air-conditioned pilgrims hall like a terminal to ensure comfort before departure.

The pilgrims will check in at the terminal building, after which they will be taken by a bus straight to the aircraft to board prior to departure.

The facility will also have a modern ablution and prayer area, a mosque to facilitate spiritual preparation before the pilgrims leave.

There will be well-organised comfortable accommodation to allow the pilgrims to rest peacefully before their flights are ready.

It will also have a dedicated health facility, a modern clinic to provide medical care and screening before they depart, a market and catering facilities.

In addition, there will be an immigration desk and check-in services to streamline travel procedures before they embark on their pilgrimage.

Religious obligation

President Mahama emphasised that the Hajj is a sacred religious obligation, not a business venture.

President Mahama announced that his pledge to reduce the Hajj fare had been fulfilled and that the cost of hajj was reduced from GH¢75,000 to GH¢62,000, savings of up to GH¢13,000 per pilgrim.

"Inshallah, this will significantly increase the number of people performing this sacred journey this year," the President said.

He added that, "I'm certain that next year we can even bring the fare down further; after we pay off the millions of dollars of debts that have accumulated in Saudi Arabia from earlier hajj operations."

The President said, this year the government intended to airlift exactly 5,000 pilgrims to the Holy Land, adding that the Hajj Task Force had announced  March 13 as the deadline for payment.

He said the government had facilitated a pre-finance arrangement with one of the local banks, and that he was pleased to announce that all payments for accommodation, transport and other facilities had been paid in advance.

He said this year, they set up a Task Force to manage the Hajj because after the government took office, they realised that the period between taking office and the Hajj was too close and so they brought competent people together, headed by Alhaji Collins Dauda as a Task Force to organise the Hajj for this year.

President said after this year's Hajj; the Government would constitute the Hajj Board and that they would appoint the Chairperson of the Hajj Board.

The President also announced that he had instructed the Legal Counsel at the Presidency, Madam Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, to amend the Public Holidays Act to provide an extra holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

He said, therefore beginning this year, there would be two days of holiday at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Presentation 
The President on behalf of Moslem Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers of State presented 7,650 bags of sugar and 2,650 bags of rice to Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam, for distribution to the less privileged during the month of Ramadan.
The President thanked Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, the Minister for the Interior, and his colleague Muslim Ministers and MPs for their kind gesture towards their less privileged Muslim brothers.
Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam, commended President for cutting the sod for the construction of the Hajj Village.
He prayed for the peace of the nation and for divine guidance for the President.