President John Dramani Mahama has directed the task force organising this year’s Hajj to channel any extra money that would be realised from the pilgrimage into charity.
At a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a permanent Hajj Village in Accra on Friday, President Mahama said the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, was a spiritual journey of purification and not a profit-making enterprise.
“I have instructed the task force that Hajj is not a business. Hajj is not meant for profit. The Hajj Task Force must not structure things in order to make profit. We don’t want any profit from Hajj.
“So, I have instructed that after the performance of Hajj, if there’s even one cedi left, that money should be donated to the poor or used for a project in the Muslim communities,” President Mahama said.
The Hajj Village, scheduled to be completed in 24 months, is a multi-purpose facility to host pilgrims before they embark upon the journey to Saudi Arabia.
The facility would come with fully air-conditioned pilgrims hall, where pilgrims would undergo pre-departure activities, a modern ablution area, a mosque, a clinic and accommodation.
“This will be like a terminal building. A smaller version of Terminal 3, if you like, where departing pilgrims would be checked in from where they can directly board their flights,” President Mahama said.
Since being charged with the responsibility to oversee the activities of Hajj as Vice President in 2009, President Mahama said he had been committed to seeing the Muslim Ummah embark on the sacred journey with dignity and in a conducive environment.
“This project has been on the drawing board for a long time and I thank Allah for allowing me to see this beautiful dream fulfilled,” he stated.
The President, meanwhile, disclosed that he had instructed his legal counsel, Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew, to start processes to draft an amendment to the Public Holidays Act for approval by Parliament for an additional holiday to the Islamic holidays.
“Therefore beginning this year, there will be two holidays at the end of the holy month of Ramadan,” the President assured the Muslim Ummah.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI