President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaian Muslims of a significant reduction in Hajj fares next year, provided the cedi remains stable. This commitment forms part of his government’s broader agenda to ease the financial burden on Muslim families and prioritize their welfare.
Speaking at the Eid-ul-Adha celebrations held at the Black Star Square in Accra, President Mahama acknowledged the economic challenges many households face when preparing for the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca.
He emphasized that his administration is working closely with relevant stakeholders to bring down the cost of Hajj for Ghanaian pilgrims.
In addition to addressing travel costs, the President also outlined plans to enhance Islamic education across the country. He revealed that he has directed the Minister for Education to strengthen the Islamic Education Unit, with an emphasis on the recruitment and training of qualified Arabic instructors nationwide.
These efforts reflect President Mahama’s continued commitment to supporting the spiritual and educational needs of Ghana’s Muslim community.
He said, “On the matter of Hajj, I’m deeply aware of the financial burden it has placed on many Muslim families. This year, despite efforts, the cost remains high, even though we cut it. But I want to assure you that we are working closely with the relevant agencies and our Saudi counterparts, and if Allah accepts our supplications, and the Cedi continues to show the recent strength that it has shown, I’m optimistic that next year we’ll see a very significant drop in the Hajj fare. Indeed, if the Muslims who went this year were going at this time, the Hajj fare would be something like 45,000 cedis. Additionally, in response to the long-standing appeals from the Muslim community, I wish to announce that we have prepared a bill to designate the additional holiday of Eid al-Fitr as a public holiday. And this would soon be presented to Parliament. It means that it will be a law; it will no longer be by executive instrument. This new (holiday) recognises the profound spiritual importance of the festival of Eid al-Fitr in Muslim life.“
