The Member of Parliament for the Tamale North constituency, Alhaji Alhassan Suhuyini, has urged Muslim and civil society groups not to shy away from linking politics with the Hajj issues they want resolved.
He emphasized that bringing politics into the conversation compels political leaders to commit to solving these problems, holding them accountable for failures.
These strong remarks were delivered by Tamale North MP, Alhaji Alhassan Suhuyini, during the 2024 Hajj Dialogue Series with stakeholders in Tamale. The Hajj dialogue series is an important initiative of two CSOs, the Patriotic Muslim Front and Lead Gate Foundation.
It is held with stakeholders before and after the Muslim pilgrimage. However, recent charges announced by the Hajj Board for the performance of the Holy Ritual in Mecca in 2024 and projections for 2025 have sparked significant concerns among the Muslim community members.
“We should not be shy about associating politics with the problems we want to be addressed. Because the purpose of politics is to solve our problems and when we make an issue political we force our political leaders to make commitment to resolving it and then eventually be held responsible when they fail in resolving it. But when we shy away and say this is a national conversation that is non-political then we insulate our political leaders from their responsibilities’’ he said.
The Tamale North Constituency MP further said” So I’m saying that over the years from about 2009 to 2013 the Hajj organization saw a significant improvement but we have recorded remarkable improvement till today, but what is of challenge to all of us now is the cost which has been moved from 3,340 dollars to about 6, 500 dollars is unreasonable unacceptable and a double on Muslims in Ghana’’ he lamented.
Alhaji Salman Faris Ayuba, a representative of the Hajj Board, stated that the board cannot be held responsible for the challenges facing pilgrim activities as the difficulties of Hajj extend beyond the exchange rate.
“ one The problem is beyond our exchange rate which is equally a problem. It also has to do with the domestic regulation of Saudi Arabia, it also has to do with VAT and other taxes. Service we used to enjoy for free now we have to pay for it. All these accumulated into the pricing of Hajj’’ Alhaji Salman Faris Ayuba explained.
Over 9,000 Ghanaian pilgrims used unapproved channels due to high costs, while 4,000 went through proper channels. 15 lives were lost due to heat exhaustion.
The president of the Patriotic Muslim Front called for government intervention to negotiate a favourable exchange rate for price reductions for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
