President Mahama lowers the cost of the Hajj Pilgrimage from GH₵75,000 to GH₵62,000
President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major rate decrease from GH₵75,000 to GH₵62,000 in an effort to make the Hajj trip more affordable. This choice is consistent with his pledge during the 2024 campaign to lessen the cost of fulfilling this significant religious duty for Muslims in Ghana. Many people were discouraged from traveling to Mecca since the prior fare was deemed unaffordable.
A five-member Hajj Task Force headed by Hon. Collins Dauda, Ghana's longest-serving Member of Parliament, was formed by President Mahama to help with this decrease. Engaging Saudi officials and service providers to negotiate better arrangements for pilgrims from Ghana was the task force's assignment. The work team found that the real costs per pilgrim are still rather similar to the previous fare in spite of these efforts, suggesting that significant government subsidies will be needed to bring the price down to GH₵62,000.
This fee reduction's implementation demonstrates the government's dedication to helping the Muslim community. However, it also poses financial difficulties because substantial public subsidies are required to achieve the promised fare. The administration is currently debating the best way to fulfill this commitment while controlling the related financial consequences.
