Former Hajj Board spokesperson demands breakdown of Hajj fare reduction details

Alhaji Abdul Rahman Gomda, a former spokesperson for Ghana’s Hajj Board, has raised concerns over the recent GH₵13,000 reduction in Hajj fares, urging for transparency on which services were altered to achieve the new price.

Speaking on Okay FM on Thursday, February 6, 2025, Alhaji Gomda called for a clear breakdown of the fare components to ensure that quality services for pilgrims had not been compromised.

“We need to know how they arrived at the new figure. What areas were adjusted? Were meals reduced from twice a day to once? Were the number of days for feeding cut down? Was there financial support from somewhere?” he questioned.

His comments came after Alhaji Collins Dauda, chairman of the Interim Hajj Taskforce, revealed that the fare reduction was the result of negotiations with service providers, not government subsidies. Alhaji Dauda explained this during a press conference on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.

“There is no government money involved in this,” Alhaji Dauda said. “The price reduction was achieved through extensive discussions with accommodation providers, caterers, and airlines. We appealed to them to reconsider their rates so that more Ghanaian Muslims could afford the pilgrimage.”

Alhaji Dauda added that while some service providers agreed to lower their charges, transport operators maintained their prices due to rising fuel costs.

Alhaji Gomda emphasised the need for full disclosure on the changes to ensure that the pilgrimage experience for pilgrims remains intact despite the reduced cost.