The Coalition of Muslim Organisation, Ghana (COMOG) has extended best wishes to the Muslim Ummah in Ghana and around the World as they celebrate the Eidul Adha.
It also used the occasion to call for a national dialogue on the organisation of Hajj in Ghana.
This was in a statement signed on behalf of Hajj Abdel-Manan Abdel-Rahman, President, COMOG by Bro Mohammed Shamsudeen Shuaib, Chairman, Media and Research Committee and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday.
It said: “It is our prayer that all Muslims across the world will observe this occasion in good health and in peace.
“Of course, we remember our brothers and sisters in Palestine who have been under Israeli occupation, oppression, injustice and genocidal onslaught, and pray to Allah, the Almighty to hasten freedom and peace to them, Aameen.”
Touching on the Hajj, the statement said: “As we celebrate this important pillar of Islam, COMOG would like to awaken the conscience of the Nation and emphasize on the need for a National Dialogue on the organisation of Hajj in Ghana.
“The recent challenges faced by pilgrims, including high cost of fares and unconventional means of embarking on the pilgrimage, denial of some prospective Hajj pilgrims visa by the Hajj Board have highlighted once again the urgent need for stakeholders to come together to address the structural and operational failures in the spirit of transparency, accountability, and best practices in Hajj management in Ghana.”
The COMOG urged the government, Muslim organisations, and the Muslim Ummah at large to engage in a national dialogue to promote education, transparency, and improvement in the management of Hajj in a bid to salvage the image of Islam.
“We must work together to correct the misconception that state resources are used to subsidize Hajj pilgrimages and ensure that the organisation of Hajj is fair, transparent, and inclusive.
“We believe that this dialogue will not only benefit the Muslim community but also promote mutual understanding and respect among people of different faiths in Ghana.
“As a secular state, it is important that we clarify the role of the state in the organisation of Hajj and ensure that all citizens are treated fairly and equally,” it said.
The statement wished all Muslims a peaceful and blessed Eidul Adha and a successful Hajj season.
GNA
CA/
June 15, 2024
