The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the host of the Hajj Pilgrimage, has raised Ghana’s quota from 4,000 to 5,000 pilgrims.

Alhaji Collins Dauda, Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Task Force, shared this update during a press conference in Accra last Wednesday. He explained that the task force utilized the recent Hajj conference in Saudi Arabia to hold productive negotiations, resulting in favorable agreements with service providers for Ghanaian pilgrims.

Regarding the fare, the chairman announced that the Hajj fee for this year has been set at GH¢62,000, equivalent to $4,130 at an exchange rate of GH¢15 to the dollar. This marks a 17.3% reduction from last year’s fare of GH¢75,000.

Alhaji Dauda explained that the reduction in fare was in line with the President’s advice to make the Hajj pilgrimage more affordable for the average Ghanaian Muslim.

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires Muslims who are able to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

Additionally, Alhaji Dauda emphasized that this commitment was a fulfillment of a promise made to the Muslim community by John Mahama, the National Democratic Congress presidential candidate, ahead of the December 2024 elections.

Alhaji Dauda highlighted that, through diligent negotiations and collaboration, the task force had successfully secured a significant reduction in the Hajj fare for 2025. He noted that this reduction represents a substantial decrease of approximately $2,000.

Debt

The chairman also revealed that there is an accumulated debt of $5.41 million from operations under the previous administration. He mentioned that the government would initiate an investigation into the matter. The debt includes $446,933 owed to catering service providers, $4,429,260 for flight costs, and around $533,333 for education and teaching services.

Appreciation

Seth Ibrahim Ayi, the Public Relations Officer of the Hajj Agents Association, expressed his satisfaction with the reduction in this year’s Hajj fares. He noted that the new fare structure would encourage more people to participate in the pilgrimage.

Each year, millions of Muslims from around the world travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, which takes place during the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims who undertake the pilgrimage are required to perform a series of rites and rituals, each carrying its own unique purpose and wisdom.

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