Chief Imam calls for fair Hajj

8/07/09

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru & Barbara Tandoh

THE National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, has charged members of the newly constituted Hajj Committee to initiate measures to ensure a problem-free Hajj this year.
Inducting the 11-member committee into office in Accra yesterday, Sheikh Sharubutu urged the members to be guided by the truth in their operations.
He said the reward of being truthful would be the successful organisation of the Hajj.
In the same vein, Sheikh Sharubutu said, when they employed lies and deceit in their work, the organisation of the Hajj would be characterised by delays and disappointments.
He reminded the members that Hajj was one of the five pillars of Islam, and that it was required of them to sacrifice their personal interests for the general good of prospective pilgrims and Ghanaians in general.
He, therefore, charged the members to make pledges to Allah and themselves to ensure the successful organisation of the Hajj.
The Committee has Alhaji Alhasan Bene as the chairman, with Sheikh Yahaya Amin, Mr Amadu Sorogo, Alhaji Baba Lamin, Mr Abu Sadat and Alhaji Awudu Ariff as other members.
The rest of the members are Alhaji Yusif Mohammed, Alhaji Alhassan Mahama, Alhaji Osman Kadri English, Alhaji Mahama Fuseini and Mr Mohammed Kpakpo Addo.
The Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, told the members of the committee that both President John Evans Atta Mills and his Vice, Mr John Dramani Mahama, had expressed their commitment to support the organisation of the Hajj this year.
He said President Mills had indicated that he did not want any Ghanaian pilgrim to go through any difficulty before, during and after the organisation of the Hajj.
Alhaji Yahaya, therefore, urged the members to work around the clock to improve the organisation of the Hajj, by getting good accommodation in Accra for prospective pilgrims from other parts of the country and ensuring their smooth departure to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Chairman of the Hajj Committee, Alhaji Bene, reiterated the commitment of members to do everything within their power to ensure a trouble-free Hajj.
He said members of the committee were working on the Hajj fare, and that they would announce the fare as soon as they finished the work.
The Member of Parliament for Abokobi Madina and member of the Hajj committee, Alhaji Amadu Sorogo, said members of the committee had already made 30 per cent deposit for accommodation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Besides, he said, the committee had made an arrangement that would require only prospective pilgrims due for departure to go to the Kotoka International Airport, as a way of avoiding overcrowding at the airport.