“There is no government money involved in this. The reduction was the result of discussions with accommodation providers, caterers, and airlines. We appealed to them to reconsider their charges to make Hajj more affordable for Ghanaian Muslims,” he explained.

He added that while some stakeholders agreed to lower their prices, transport operators maintained their rates due to rising fuel costs. “The airlines told us fuel prices made it difficult to reduce fares, but the rest of the service providers understood our concerns and adjusted their charges,” he said.

Alhaji Dauda also disclosed details of a conversation he had with President John Dramani Mahama regarding the use of state funds for Hajj sponsorship.

“The President was very clear that even if the government wants to sponsor 1,000 people, it must source the money separately and pay for them. It cannot be that someone who has saved up for Hajj should have their money used to cover someone else’s cost,” he stated.

He further stressed that he does not support government-funded sponsorship of Hajj. “Hajj is a religious obligation for those who can afford it. It is not right for public funds to be used for this purpose,” he noted.

Meanwhile, an investigation is underway to determine how Ghana accumulated an outstanding $5 million debt related to the 2024 Hajj.

According to Alhaji Dauda, service providers, including catering and airline companies, have presented claims of unpaid fees from last year’s pilgrimage. “The caterers say they are owed $470,000, while another contractor has taken legal action over a $533,000 debt for accommodation and food services. Altogether, the amount exceeds $5 million,” he revealed.

He gave an assurance that a full report would be made public once the investigation was concluded.