Alhaji Collins Dauda, Chairman of the Interim Hajj Taskforce has stated that the Hajj fare adjustments were not done with state funds but rather, the reduction was achieved through negotiations with service providers in Saudi Arabia.
He was speaking in an interview on Okay FM on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
According to him, “There is no government money involved in this. The reduction was the result of discussions with accommodation providers, caterers, and airlines. We appealed to them to reconsider their charges to make Hajj more affordable for Ghanaian Muslims.”
He also added that although some of the stakeholders had agreed to lower their prices, the transport operators maintained their rate due to the rise in fuel costs. He stated, “The airlines told us fuel prices made it difficult to reduce fares, but the rest of the service providers understood our concerns and adjusted their charges.”
The Chairman also disclosed certain details of a conversation he had with President John Dramani Mahama, regarding the use of state funds to sponsor the Hajj. According to him, “The President was very clear that even if the government wants to sponsor 1,000 people, it must source the money separately and pay for them. It cannot be that someone who has saved up for Hajj should have their money used to cover someone else’s cost.”
Alhaji Dauda also expressed his distaste for using state funds to sponsor Hajj. He stated emphatically that, “Hajj is a religious obligation for those who can afford it. It is not right for public funds to be use for this purpose.”
He disclosed that an investigation is ongoing to find out how Ghana accumulated $5 million debt related to the 2024 Hajj. According to Mr. Dauda, service providers, including caterers and airline companies, have presented to him claims of unpaid fees from last year’s pilgrimage.
He revealed that, “The caterers say they are owed $470,000, while another contractor has taken legal action over a $533,000 debt for accommodation and food services. Altogether, the amount exceeds $5 million.” The Chairman however, assured that a full report on the investigation, will be made public once the investigation is concluded.
The government recently announced a reduction in Hajj fare. The fare which used to cost GHC75000 has now been reduced to GHC65000, bring some relief to the Muslim community. The reduction was one of President Mahama’s promises during his campaign for the 2024 election.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that President Mahama has been able to honor this commitment. He set up a task force made up of four Muslims to participate in the Hajj conference which took place in January in Saudi Arabia and to also have the opportunity to engage our service providers in Saudi Arabia, specifically in Mecca and Madina.
“Through diligent negotiations and collaborations, the task force has successfully secured a significant reduction in the Hajj fare for 2025. Upon the advice of the president, the fare for 2025 Hajj has been set at GHc 62,000, which is equivalent to $4130,” the Chairman of the Interim Hajj Taskforce announced on February 5, 2025.
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