Frustration Mounts as Delay in 2025 Hajj Fees Disrupts Ghanaian Pilgrims’ Plans

A group of concerned Ghanaian Muslims has expressed frustration over the government’s delay in announcing the fees for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, calling the situation “unacceptable” and “worrying.”

In a statement released on Monday, the group, identifying itself as Concerned Muslims, criticized the lack of communication from the government regarding the Hajj fees, which has left potential pilgrims in a state of uncertainty.

With other West African nations reportedly well ahead in their preparations for the holy pilgrimage, the group has raised alarms about the delays, especially since President Mahama’s newly appointed Hajj Task Force returned from Saudi Arabia two weeks ago after successful negotiations with service providers.

The Concerned Muslims group emphasized that pilgrimage to Hajj is a sacred and life-changing experience for many Ghanaians, yet it requires significant financial preparation.

The absence of fee details has complicated the financial planning of many hopeful pilgrims, who rely on clear and timely information to organize their trips.

The group also questioned whether the government was facing challenges in meeting its electoral promise to reduce the Hajj fee, which stood at GHȼ75,000 last year.

This promise to lower the fee significantly has added pressure, with some media reports suggesting the government might be struggling to fulfill this commitment.

“We want to know if there is an issue with the fee announcement, or if there is a delay because the government cannot find the resources to fulfill its promise.

If the government is unable to provide a subsidy or reduce the fee as promised, they need to be transparent about it.

It’s crucial that the government provides us with the information we need so that we can move forward with our preparations,” said the group.

As the time for preparations shrinks, the group urged the government to act quickly and make the fee announcement to allow Ghanaian Muslims to finalize their arrangements for the pilgrimage to Mecca.