The government has reduced the cost of the Hajj pilgrimage for Ghanaian Muslims, lowering the fare from GH₵75,000 to GH₵62,000, making it more affordable for those wishing to make the trip.
President John Mahama made a significant pledge to lower Hajj costs before his election win in 2024, and this promise is now being fulfilled. As a result, Ghana’s Muslim community can expect a higher quota for the pilgrimage, which will allow more people to participate.
Collins Dauda, the MP for Asutifi South and head of the Hajj task force, spoke at a news conference on Wednesday, February 5, to outline the government’s strategy for addressing the issues surrounding the Hajj pilgrimage after a meeting with Saudi officials.
“During the 2024 presidential election campaign, President John Dramani Mahama pledged to the Muslim community that he would do everything possible to reduce Hajj fares if he won the election. This was to enable our Muslim brothers and sisters to perform the Hajj at a lower cost. He also committed to making Hajj accessible and affordable. Last year, the fare was set at GH₵75,000.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that President Mahama has honored this commitment. He established a task force comprised of four Muslim members to participate in the Hajj conference held in January in Saudi Arabia. This task force engaged with our service providers in Saudi Arabia, particularly in Mecca and Medina,” he revealed.
“Through diligent negotiations and collaboration, the task force has successfully secured a significant reduction in the Hajj fare for 2025.
Upon the president’s advice, the fare for the 2025 Hajj has been set at GH₵62,000, which is equivalent to $4,130.”
