The National Democratic Congress (NDC) zongo caucus in the Western Region have expressed their displeasure with the high amount pilgrims have to pay for this year’s Hajj.
Pilgrims will have to pay Gh¢75,000 before able to travel to Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj.
And according to the NDC zongo caucus, the amount is unbearable and as a matter of urgency, the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia must intervene.
The group says because the amount is high, some Ghanaian Muslims have been forced to travel to other neighboring countries where the fares are relatively cheaper for their trip.
“It has been reported that Ghanaian Muslims are being made to route to other neighbouring countries where the fares are relatively cheaper. The first of its kind under our so called Muslim Vice President. If nothing is done to ameliorate the cost, many Muslims will be deprived of performing this year Hajj”, a portion of their statement reads.
Read full statement below
BAWUMIA MUST INTERVENE: COST OF 2023 HAJJ IS UNBEARABLE TO MUSLIMS —- W/R NDC ZONGO CAUCUS
In the run up to the 2016 General Elections, one of the key factors that influenced Ghanaian Muslims in voting for the New Patriotic Party ( N.P.P.) was the choice of a Muslim, Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia, as the running mate to Nana Akufo Addo, and several promises the N.P.P. made Muslim Communities in Ghana.
Dr. Bawumia criss – crossed Muslim communities with promises to make our lives better when voted into power. However, after six and half long years in power, Alhaji Bawumia has rather made Muslims in Ghana worse off, as evident in the fares that his N.P.P. government is charging for prospective pilgrims to pay. And to think that this huge sum of money is charged in honour of a religious obligations in Saudi Arabia is mind boggling.
Performance of Hajj as the fifth pillar of Islam, cost the Ghanaian pilgrim only Ghc11,500.00 under John Dramani Mahama and N.D.C. in 2016, which attracted much criticisms from Bawumia and his N.P.P. . Nonetheless, under Bawumia’s watch, Ghanaian pilgrims to Mecca are being forced to pay as much as Seventy -Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 75,000)
under a supposedly Muslim Vice President.
It has been reported that Ghanaian Muslims are being made to route to other neighbouring countries where the fares are relatively cheaper. The first of its kind under our so called Muslim Vice President. If nothing is done to ameliorate the cost, many Muslims will be deprived of performing this year hajj.
The hajj fare, we believe, is very much exhobitant, unbearable and insensitive to say the least, especially during this time of excruciating hardships occasioned by Bawumia’s incompetence and mismanagement, as head of the economic management team.
The Western Regional Zongo Caucus of the N.D.C., would wish to add our voice to the numerous Muslim voices calling for a reduction of the fares by Alhaji Bawumia’s N.P.P. government. This would go a long way to ease some burden on our pilgrims who wish to embark on this spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia.
Alhaji Bawumia must listen to the Ghanaian pilgrims, and act accordingly.
Signed.
Hafiz Alasco,
Western Regional Zongo Caucus Coordinator.
