Former Hajj Board disputes debt claims, calls for transparency

The former Hajj Board has rejected claims by the 2025 Hajj Taskforce regarding outstanding debts from past Hajj operations, asserting that any discussion must include liabilities inherited in 2017.

In a statement issued on February 6, 2025, former Hajj Board Chairman Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda criticised the task force’s handling of the matter, stating that it lacked full historical context.

His response followed remarks by interim Hajj Taskforce Chairman Alhaji Collins Dauda during the announcement of the 2025 Hajj package.

The former board stated that when they took office in 2017 under then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, they inherited a $7.8 million debt from the 2016 Hajj operations under the NDC administration.

This amount included costs for 425 fully paid pilgrims who were unable to travel that year and had to be either refunded or rebooked for subsequent Hajj seasons.

According to the statement, by the end of their tenure in 2024, the outstanding debt had been reduced to $4,859,250. This information, they said, was officially documented and submitted to the Chief of Staff during the transition.

The former board argued that discussing the current debt without acknowledging the previous liabilities was misleading.

They emphasised that governance involves both assets and liabilities and urged the new administration to present a full and accurate account of the situation.

Alhaji Banda and his team attributed part of the debt to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, directly impacting the cost of organising Hajj each year.

They warned that an incomplete financial narrative could create unnecessary tension within the Muslim community.

Despite their concerns, the former Hajj Board extended their best wishes to the current task force as preparations continue for the 2025 Hajj operations.