President John Dramani Mahama has issued a strong reminder that the Hajj pilgrimage should remain a religious and spiritual experience, not a profit-driven venture. Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the new Hajj Village on February 28, Mahama emphasized that the pilgrimage should not be structured to generate financial gain.

“I’ve instructed the taskforce: Hajj is not a business. It’s not meant to make a profit,” Mahama stated, stressing that any surplus funds from the Hajj process should benefit Muslim communities. “If there is even one cedi left, it should be donated to the poor or used for projects within the Muslim community.”

In addition, Mr.Mahama announced plans to amend the Public Holidays Act to add an extra day for the Eid-ul-Fitr celebration. Starting this year, Muslims in Ghana will have two official holidays to mark the end of Ramadan.

The President also reassured the public that this year’s Hajj would be well-organized, with a strict cap of 5,000 pilgrims to avoid issues from previous years when late payments led to chaos. “We don’t want a repeat of past situations where people rushed with late payments and couldn’t be airlifted,” he said.

To ensure a smooth process, Mahama confirmed that all necessary deposits for accommodation, transport, and other logistics had already been paid. A taskforce, led by Alhaji Collins Dauda, has been established to oversee the organization of this year’s Hajj, following concerns about the tight timeline between the new government taking office and the pilgrimage.

“We brought competent people together, headed by Alhaji Collins Dauda, to manage the Hajj properly this year,” he added.

Source:TheDotNews