President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned that the Hajj pilgrimage should remain a religious and spiritual journey for Muslims, not a profit-making venture.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the new Hajj Village on Friday, February 28, he emphasized that any surplus funds from the pilgrimage should be invested in projects benefiting Zongo communities.
“This year, we set up a task force to manage the Hajj because, after assuming office, we realized that the time before the pilgrimage was too short. So, we brought competent people together, led by Alhaji Collins Dauda, to organize this year’s Hajj. After this, we will constitute the Hajj Board and appoint its chairman,” Mahama stated.
He stressed that the pilgrimage must not be commercialized.
“I have instructed the task force that the Hajj is not a business and should not be structured for profit. The Hajj Board and Task Force must not aim to make a profit. If even one cedi remains after the Hajj, it should be donated to the poor or used for a project within the Hajj community,” he added.
His remarks come amid ongoing preparations as the Hajj Task Force urges prospective pilgrims and accredited agents to complete payments and required procedures before the March 13, 2025, deadline.
To ease the process, the Task Force has introduced measures to help fully paid pilgrims acquire their passports smoothly.
Additionally, to make the pilgrimage more accessible, the 2025 Hajj package fee has been reduced from GHS 75,000 to GHS 62,000, providing financial relief to Ghanaian Muslims seeking to fulfill their religious obligation.