With Ghana Promising to Drastically Reduce Hajj Fare… It is Time for President Bio to Scrutinize the Hajj Taskforce

By: Lansana Fofanah

The re-elected President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has sent a Hajj Taskforce to attend this year’s Hajj Conference in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a mission to engage authorities on a possible reduction of Hajj fare.
This was in fulfillment of his campaign promised he gave the Muslims of Ghana, a Christina
dominated country.

“One of the tasks that I have given them is to go and make arrangements so that we can bring the Hajj Fares as low as possible so that many Muslims who intend to perform pilgrimage can do so”, said President Mahama while promising to ensure more public holidays for Muslims festivals.

Sierra Leone is a Muslim dominated nation with over 70% of its population as Muslims.
The performance of Hajj which is the Fifth pillar of Islam is mandatory for those who can afford it.

Despite some few challenges under the former government of the All People’s Congress, Hajj fare was pegged at Five Thousand Unites States dollars throughout their tenure without any increment.

This was the time when the exchange rate was stable, favorable and low compared to current inflation and exchange rate of the dollar to the Leone.

When his Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio won the 2018 presidential election, a Hajj Taskforce Committee was set up in June to facilitate the Hajj process which is headed by Alhaji Murtada Sesay and the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Hadji Kella.
In June 2018, Hajj fare was Five Thousand dollars and 828 pilgrims performed Hajj despite a few weeks of preparation.

In 2019, the fare was still Five Thousand dollars and 930 pilgrims performed Hajj.
The outbreak of the Corona virus affected the 2020-21 Hajj calendar.
In 2022, the fare was increased from Five Thousand Dollars to Six Thousand Dollars and 941 pilgrims performed Hajj that year.

It should be noted that, the increase in the number of pilgrims in 2022 was because, those who had wanted to perform Hajj in 2020 and 2021, were already waiting for such a chance after the end of Corona.

Without considering any economic implications, the fare was increased in 2023 to Six Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars which drastically reduced the number of pilgrims to 652.

In 2024, that number dropped to 609 pilgrims when the fare was further increased to Seven Thousand Dollars.

From all indications, the Hajj Taskforce does not seem to know its mandate of representing the interest of the people.
The rapid increase of the Hajj fare, has definitely limited the chances of intended pilgrims who depend on relatives to fulfill such an important pillar in Islam.

If Ghana as a Christian-dominated country could go that far to seek the welfare of minority Muslims, why not Sierra Leone with a Muslim Vice President and a Muslim majority?

While the Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh supervises the operation of the Hajj Taskforce, it is obvious that those charged with such responsibility to run the taskforce have not been briefing him with honest and sincere Information.

The Presidential Hajj Taskforce must not be reduced to a two-man show which happens to be the case.
Honorable Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh should act tough on this issue.

As it stands, there might be a possible increment in this year’s Hajj fare without no justification.
This will definitely deny intended pilgrims due to the current economic hardship in the country.

President Julius Maada Bio should have a rethink and a review on the operation of the Presidential Taskforce on Hajj before it becomes a money-making syndicate.

News 24 publication