It Was Wrong Yesterday, So It Can’t Be Right Today: Who’s Justifying the Use of Public Funds for the Construction of Hajj Village?
The recent decision by the John Mahama government to use public funds for the construction of a permanent Hajj Village for the Muslim community is unfortunate. This move has been met with silence from neutral sympathizers, cowardly clergy, and interest-driven intellectuals who are unconcerned about the misuse of Ghana’s public funds.
Using public funds to sponsor the construction of the Hajj Village can be described as a criminally masterminded government decision that harms taxpayers. We are creating a dangerous society where the minority enjoys preferential treatment at the expense of the majority, thanks to the barefaced hypocrisy of certain politicians.
It is absurd to conclude that the Hajj Village should be funded with public money, especially when the same argument is not advanced for the construction of the National Cathedral, which would benefit the majority of Christians. This hypocrisy is alarming, and one cannot help but notice the politics of convenience at the expense of Ghanaians.
Why not build a pilgrimage village that serves Christians, Muslims, and other religious communities within the country, demonstrating all-inclusiveness? This error in judgment by John Mahama’s administration is concerning.
According to John Mahama, the permanent Hajj Village would provide a more organized and dignified environment for Muslim pilgrims before their departure to Saudi Arabia. The village would feature:
– A big mosque
– A large ablution area
– Hostel/accommodation facility
– An ultramodern health center similar to the Bank of Ghana Hospital
– A large market
– Catering services
– Immigration desks
– Check-in counters
However, when it comes to the National Cathedral Project for Christians, John Mahama stated that the project should be achieved without recourse to public funds. What has changed? If the National Cathedral deserves no public funding, why should state funds be used for the construction of a permanent Hajj Village for Muslims?
The President must stop promoting religious discrimination and devise alternative means of generating funds to finance Muslim projects. Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo set a precedent by not supporting the construction of the National Cathedral with public funds.
The President must provide answers to the following questions:
– What is the total cost of the permanent Hajj Village project?
– How was the contract awarded?
– Which company was the contract awarded to?
– What is the justification and economic viability of this project?
– How will the facility be maintained, operated, and managed?
– Will public funds be used to pay employees working at the permanent Hajj Village after its completion?
The silence from critics of Akufo-Addo’s government is deafening, and their lack of concern for national matters under the new administration is alarming.
