Dr Bawumia announcing the hajj policy review
Vice President Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia has said that government is reviewing the Hajj policy to put in measures that will help ease problems Ghanaian Muslims go through both in Ghana and in Saudi Arabia, regarding the pilgrimage.
Dr. Bawumia revealed this on Sunday at the Sunyani Central Mosque when he joined the chiefs and people of the Zongo communities to break the day’s fast and asked Allah to see them through the long month of Ramadan – being the holy month.
He was accompanied by the National Nasara Coordinator of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and other dignitaries, including the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah Cheremey.
Speaking to the congregation, the vice president said his decision to worship with them was to thank them for voting Nana Akufo-Ado and the NPP party into power and for that matter, giving him the opportunity to become the vice president.
Touching on what Nana Addo’s government is doing to alleviate poverty in the Zongos, the vice president said government had allocated GH¢219 million to the Zongo Development Fund as promised by the now president during the 2016 electioneering campaign. He asked the Zongos to identify their priority areas in terms of needs and access the fund for development.
Dr Bawumia said among the measures  is the use of information technology (computer) at the hajj village to process pilgrims’ information to determine who qualifies to embark on the pilgrimage so that people don’t go and waste time at the place and at the end don’t go at all. By this, those who qualify to go will be communicated to beforehand as to what day and time to catch a flight to Madina.
He also said a lot of Muslims face the problem of lack of food when going on the pilgrimage. As a result, government is planning to give free meals to pilgrims both here and in Saudi Arabia, especially the elderly, to reduce the stress of getting food.
In addition, government will provide free transport to Ghanaian pilgrims from Madina to Mecca where the actual ritual of hajj is performed. This is because according to Bawumia, the long walk embarked upon by pilgrims make them tired and so needs to support them with free transport to reduce the stress.
He asked the Muslim community to pray to Allah to give strength and wisdom to the president to lead the country into prosperity.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com