The government has announced a reduction in the Hajj pilgrimage fee from 75,000 Ghana cedis under the previous administration to 62,000 Ghana cedis. This move fulfills President John Dramani Mahama’s campaign promise to lower the cost of the pilgrimage, making it more accessible to Ghanaian Muslims. Providing an update on negotiations with Saudi authorities on February 5, MP for Asutifi South and leader of the five-member task force, Collins Dauda, outlined the government’s plans to address existing challenges associated with the pilgrimage.
“During the 2024 presidential electioneering campaign, John Dramani Mahama, the President of Ghana, pledged to the Muslim community that if he won the elections, he would do everything possible to reduce the hajj fare. “That was to enable our Muslim brothers and sisters to perform the Hajj at a reduced fare. He also committed himself to making Hajj accessible and affordable. We will recall that last year, the fare was set at GH75,000.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that President Mahama has been able to honour this commitment. He set up a task force made up of four Muslims to participate in the Hajj conference which took place in January in Saudi Arabia and to also have the opportunity to engage our service providers in Saudi Arabia, specifically in Mecca and Madina. “Through diligent negotiations and collaborations, the task force has successfully secured a significant reduction in the Hajj fare for 2025. Upon the advice of the president, the fare for 2025 Hajj has been set at GHc 62,000, which is equivalent to $4130.”
By: Fauzu Masawudu
