Accra: The Ghana Hajj Taskforce has announced a new Hajj fare of GHS62,000, which is equivalent to $4,130 at an exchange rate of 15 Cedis to a dollar. This marks a significant reduction of 17.3% from the previous year’s fare of GHS75,000.
According to Ghana News Agency, the taskforce also revealed an accumulated debt of $5,409,526.66 from the previous administration. The announcement was made by the Chairperson of the taskforce, Mr. Alhaji Collins Dauda, during a press briefing in Accra. He stated that the fare reduction was influenced by the President’s commitment to making Hajj more affordable for the average Ghanaian Muslim, fulfilling a promise made to the Muslim community ahead of the 2024 General Election.
Mr. Dauda highlighted that the taskforce capitalized on the recent Hajj conference in Saudi Arabia to negotiate favorable agreements with service providers, resulting in the reduced fare for prospective Ghanaian pilgrims. “And through diligent negotiations and collaboration, the taskforce has successfully secured a significant reduction in the Hajj fare for 2025. This certainly represents a substantial decrease of approximately $2,000,” he added.
Additionally, Mr. Dauda announced that the government plans to investigate the source of the accumulated debt, which includes $446,933 owed to catering service providers, $4,429,260 for flights, and approximately $533,333 for education and teaching services.
Mr. Seth Ibrahim Ayi, the Public Relations Officer of the Hajj Agents Association, expressed satisfaction with the reduction in Hajj fares, noting that the new fares would encourage more people to participate in the pilgrimage. Furthermore, he confirmed that the Hajj quota for Ghana has been increased from 4,000 to 5,000 pilgrims.
