Mahama's NDC faces Hajj fare dilemma amid high costs

President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are grappling with fulfilling their campaign promise to reduce Hajj pilgrimage fees for Ghanaian Muslims.

Despite pledging to lower the GH₵75,000 fee charged under the previous administration, the newly formed Hajj Task Force, led by MP Collins Dauda, discovered during the 2025 Hajj Conference in Saudi Arabia that costs remain high.

Sources indicate that achieving the promised reduction would require heavy government subsidies of at least $2,000 per pilgrim, a financial burden the government may struggle to bear.

Alternatively, the task force is considering reducing Ghana’s pilgrim allocation from 6,000 to 4,000.

The global economic crisis and rising Hajj costs worldwide compound the challenge, as neighboring countries face similar high fares without significant reductions.