A group calling itself Patriotic Muslim Front (PMF) has descended on Hajj chairman and the Hajj board for reviewing its fee upward this year to 19,500 ghc.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the group, convener of the group Haruna Mohammed indicated that, the manner in which Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) has been organized in the last few years gives them a course to worry.
He said some of this issue seems recurring every Hajj year unfortunately nothing has been done about it.
The following consent were raised;
1.Closing date of payment of moneys
2.value for money
3.Transparency and accountability but honestly speaking, the hajj board deliberately turn death ears to their concerns.
He said, the board do not have any independent auditor to be auditing its accounts.
"For example in 2017 the qouta given by Saudi authorities was around Ghc 6, 000 and the board charged per Ghanaian pilgrim Ghc 15,000, in effect the board probably received and spent a total amount of 6000 *Ghc out of ghc 15,000".
"The qouta of 2018 was also around Ghc 5700 but the Pilgrims were ordered to pay ghc 15,000 which has been reviewed to ghc 19,500 this year".
Haruna added that, they wish to inform the President and his vice who is the the number one Muslim in the country they have lost confidence and trust in sheikh IC Quaye for failing to leave up to expectation.
"Your excellency, PMF is reliably informed that, all the factors that constitute the cost buildups remains constant except transport which went up by 70$ In view 3of this development, the Muslim Umma demands the breakdown of the costs buildups or the rationale behind this increment.
Your excellency, The Muslim Umma are aware of your commitment to fight corruption and the promotion of transparency and accountability, this is a unit of the presidency and ever since this Board was inaugurated they are yet to submit the audited account to the relevant authority, PMF find this development unacceptable, the wisdom of his Excellency, the Vice President to have an account controller from GRA in the person of one FAROAK HAMZA as board member was to follow and institute layers of Transparency and accountability we however, demand that the account of the board be audited".
PMF is also giving the board two weeks ultimatum to review the deadline for payment and as well the amount (19500gh), we shall demonstrate across the length and breath of this country if our plea is not heeded to, he added.
PMF recommend the following to be considered;
An independent Pilgrims complains office should be established in the office of the president.
The role of this office is to address complains of Pilgrims in consultation with the board and when necessary through the minister exercising oversight over the Hajj Board.
This office should further be asked to prepare report for every particular Hajj to ensure transparency and accountability.
PMF is a coalition of young Muslim intellectuals, politicians and students whose sole purpose is the advancement of the course of Islam in the contex of religious pluralism the need for peace and security and above all the signification of the Muslim.
PMF has been in existence for the past three years within these years we have been engaged in the references of religious co-existence the demand for accountability from Muslim leaders and encouraging Muslim youth to be ambassadors of righteousness.
Source | Atinkaoanline.com | Owoahene Acheampong
