Govt has no hand in Hajj factions

August 30, 2008 pg 15

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE government has distanced itself from the raging controversy over who has the mandate to organise this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
The Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen, told the Daily Graphic that the government had no hand in the formation of any of the two bodies ‘fighting’ over the right to organise the Hajj.
He, therefore, called for a ceasefire between the two factions, the restructured National Hajj Council (NHC) and the Interim Hajj Management Committee (IHMC).
Nana Boahen said since Hajj was a religious duty, the government had thought it prudent to hand over its organisation to the Muslim community.
He noted that Muslims had competent people who could organise a problem-free Hajj in the country.
Nana Boahen expressed worry that the NHC and the IHMC were struggling over the right to organise this year’s Hajj.
“It is unfortunate that the two groups are in disagreement over who has the mandate to organise the Hajj,” he stressed.
The minister said the differences of the two groups would go a long way to affect the outcome of the Hajj and consequently disappoint prospective pilgrims.
Nana Boahen, therefore, called on the two factions to patch up their differences in the interest of peace and the successful organisation of the Hajj.
Asked what action the government would take if the two groups failed to iron out their differences, he only said “when we get to the bridge we will know how to cross it”.
He expressed the hope that the two would not do anything to mar the organisation of this year’s Hajj, since they are both Muslim groups.
Nana Boahen took issue with some political figures in the Minority for politicising the Hajj issue last year when the IHMC had some difficulties in the organisation of the Hajj.
The controversy over who has the mandate to organise this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) deepened on Monday after the Interim Hajj Management Committee (IHMC) also announced its Hajj fare.
That was barely three days after the restructured National Hajj Council (NHC) had announced its Hajj fare and insisted that it was the only body mandated to organise the Hajj.
The NHC pegged the Hajj fare at $2,999 while the IHMC fixed it at $3,100.
The Chairman of the IHMC, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, who announced the $3,100 Hajj fare at a press conference in Accra, indicated that the committee that was constituted by the National Chief Imam was the only recognised body to organise the Hajj.
“This committee, which is made up of seven members, derives its mandate to be responsible for organising 2008 Hajj from the National Chief Imam and Mufti of the Republic of Ghana, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu. Recognising the important role of government in the organisation of Hajj in this country, the National Chief Imam has duly communicated the composition and presence of this committee to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana for government’s endorsement and support to enable the committee carry out its mandate,” he said.
The Co-ordinator of the Board of Trustees of the NHC, Mr Mohammed Frimpong, however, insisted at a press conference in Accra that it was only the NHC that had the mandate to organise this year’s Hajj, since it was formed by 10 stakeholder organisations that had representatives on the council.
He said the NHC would resist the attempt of the IHMC to organise the Hajj, and threatened to take legal action against the members of the IHMC, if they insisted on organising it.
He cautioned prospective pilgrims against paying their fare to any organisation other than the NHC, since it was the only mandated body to organise the Hajj.
Hajj organisation in the country has in recent times been fraught with difficulties characterised by delays in the departure, poor accommodation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, late return journey and delay in the arrival of luggage.