Unless Ghana declares any particular religion as "STATE RELIGION", the government has no business sponsoring(or take credit for) any religious group anywhere. So yes, let the goverment come clean with whatever it is doing for ... read full comment
Unless Ghana declares any particular religion as "STATE RELIGION", the government has no business sponsoring(or take credit for) any religious group anywhere. So yes, let the goverment come clean with whatever it is doing for the sake of democracy
Leeee 11 years ago
you are now talking sense instead of threatening the Reverend Minister Presby.
you are now talking sense instead of threatening the Reverend Minister Presby.
hawa yakubu 11 years ago
Can they even control the haji. They must withdraw it to the public that they sponor muslim to haji.....why don't we sit back nd think of those dayz when Mojor Essah Mohammed was once a haji communiteee
Can they even control the haji. They must withdraw it to the public that they sponor muslim to haji.....why don't we sit back nd think of those dayz when Mojor Essah Mohammed was once a haji communiteee
Michael 11 years ago
People are still making the statement in ignorance that gov does not sponsor hajj. Even in the days of Ghana Airways this was done yearly. After GH days gov spends money leasing aircraft at high rates for Muslims. During NPP ... read full comment
People are still making the statement in ignorance that gov does not sponsor hajj. Even in the days of Ghana Airways this was done yearly. After GH days gov spends money leasing aircraft at high rates for Muslims. During NPP days we know of US$ 2.0m was paid by gov for ONLY ONE FLT because the organisers had blown the arrangement and the gov didn't want any political backlash (as usual). I repeat gov sponsors Hajj and it is unconstitutional because it is discrimination against Christians. Don't write what you don't know.
Counsellor 11 years ago
I agree. Maybe Hajj pilgrims do not know because most of them pay for the trip. the organisers usually blow the money and gov jumps in to bail them out when they are stuck at airrport to the embarrasement of gov.Has anyone no ... read full comment
I agree. Maybe Hajj pilgrims do not know because most of them pay for the trip. the organisers usually blow the money and gov jumps in to bail them out when they are stuck at airrport to the embarrasement of gov.Has anyone noticed that the Hajj organisers have been silent on this issue? Christians also have the right to ask for state money for Pilgrimage. There she be no discrimination as the constitution says.
mensah 11 years ago
Muslims pay their own money for the hajj,why can't you fools of Ghana believe that
Muslims pay their own money for the hajj,why can't you fools of Ghana believe that
Uncle 11 years ago
Yes! people should not write what they do not know and you have just done that. The writer says about 99.9% pay to go to Hajj and only a very few are usually sponsored by the government.
The hajj comes on every year and the ... read full comment
Yes! people should not write what they do not know and you have just done that. The writer says about 99.9% pay to go to Hajj and only a very few are usually sponsored by the government.
The hajj comes on every year and the only figure you have about government sponsorship of hajj is for one occasion during the NPP days. There would have been more than one flight on that occasion and who then paid for the other flights during the NPP days, as you want us to know?
Will there be the need for the government to step in if the organisers do not blow off the monies of the majority of the people who pay to go to Hajj? How is the monies blown off and why can't the culprits be made to account for their actions, instead of the government having to step in?
Can anybody force the government to do what is against the Constitution?
Each year the cost of Hajj is made known to those who will be interested. By the average cost of $3,000, the government will require 15 million dollars to sponsor 5,000 Ghanaian pilgrims to Hajj in any particular year.
If by your submissions, it is the government that sponsors Hajj, where does it get this amount of money each year to sponsor all the pilgrims who go to Hajj?
You are the one who does not know what you are talking about. The writer has given us the gospel truth: the teeming majority of Ghanaian pilgrims pay to go to hajj each year.
A very few pilgrims, normally party faithfuls, are sponsored by the government based on the government's self-interest.
If the government's self interest is unconstitutional, you have all my support to address it. But as you said eloquently, don't write what you do not know. A worst culprit of your own wise saying or is it sloppy thought?
Counsellor 11 years ago
My brother, please read my article again. I mentioned the Ghana Airways days and the 2M USD as examples only. These are facts that may not be known to you but doesn't mean are not available. You have no idea how much the gov ... read full comment
My brother, please read my article again. I mentioned the Ghana Airways days and the 2M USD as examples only. These are facts that may not be known to you but doesn't mean are not available. You have no idea how much the gov owed Ghana Airways from Hajj operations.
On top of that even if the gov sponsored ONLY ONCE the 2m$ trip, was that not discrimination? There is a lot of info out there that may come out if we continue this uninformed comments.
Uncle 11 years ago
Please, whether the Government owed Ghana Airways or not, it should not negate the fact that hardworking Ghanaian pilgrims pay competitive prices each year to go on Hajj. They pay prices, for which their air fares, cost of ac ... read full comment
Please, whether the Government owed Ghana Airways or not, it should not negate the fact that hardworking Ghanaian pilgrims pay competitive prices each year to go on Hajj. They pay prices, for which their air fares, cost of accommodation and welfare are catered for. That is the bottom line.
What explains the fact that majority of Ghanaian pilgrims pay fully to go on Hajj and yet the Government still finds it necessary to spent more money on the same Hajj. Can you explain this to me?
Counsellor 11 years ago
My brother, that is the question that I hope past and the present gov will answer publicly. Please believe me, I know that Hajj pilgrims are made to pay, but every gov also spends money to send them .
Let me give you a hin ... read full comment
My brother, that is the question that I hope past and the present gov will answer publicly. Please believe me, I know that Hajj pilgrims are made to pay, but every gov also spends money to send them .
Let me give you a hint, when pilgrims get stuck at the airport, we need to know why. When they are hastily airlifted at the last minute even after the deadline for their arrival in Saudi Arabia passes, we need to ask how they got the flight and who made it possible. Also we may need to ask why Hajj committees keep getting dissolved etc. My brother there are matters that need not be made public unless pushed.
Let me state again, I know most pilgrims pay, but I also know gov pays during many Hajj trips, under political pressure.
You may do your homework and then decide whether I am writing out of ignorance.
Uncle 11 years ago
Counsellor, don't be too sure about what you know and what someone else does not know?
I can tell you that majority of Ghanaian pilgrims will feel insulted if someone's wants to imply that their Hajj were Government spons ... read full comment
Counsellor, don't be too sure about what you know and what someone else does not know?
I can tell you that majority of Ghanaian pilgrims will feel insulted if someone's wants to imply that their Hajj were Government sponsored.
If you cannot afford to bear all what it will take to perform Hajj, you are excused from performing Hajj.
The teeming majority of Ghanaian Muslims are aware of this and they use their hard-earned monies to pay for the trip.
The fact is that, they will pay the right monies to be air-lifted, but those you are asked to organise the Hajj will mess them up.
Fearing that it would be blamed for entrusting the responsibility of organizing the Hajj into the hands of people who cannot perform, the Government will then feel the pressure to step in.
Governments do not step in as the first option. They would only do that if the people have paid for the trip and cannot avail themselves of what they have paid for.
Hajj committees do not come to exist in a vacuum. Governments put them in place. But after collecting people's money, the Hajj Committee must be made to deliver instead of messing up with people's money and looking forward to the Government to bail them out.
If government's feel the need to step into a crisis created by the Hajj Committee, it is then bailing out the Hajj Committee and not the majority of the pilgrims who have already paid up.
Otherwise, what is it that normally happens to the paid-up fees of these pilgrims, such that the government would have to be involved with the public money again?
Where on this earth, is it acceptable to pay for a time-bound service and be denied the service?
Majority of the Moslems do not count on public monies to go to Hajj and that was the message of the writer who begun this thread and he was right.
Settlement 11 years ago
Guys, I have been monitoring your dialogue. It appears that even though Muslims pay for Hajj, the government from time to time spends money to bail them out when the organization gets in trouble. I think even Ras Mubarak adm ... read full comment
Guys, I have been monitoring your dialogue. It appears that even though Muslims pay for Hajj, the government from time to time spends money to bail them out when the organization gets in trouble. I think even Ras Mubarak admitted it the other day when he mentioned 2m$.
Well, it means that the government actually spends money occasionally towards Hajj trips. If this is true then if a Pastor says the government should not do it, I think it is fair. All pilgrimages should either be 'helped' by government or not helped no matter what. This is called fairness per our constitution. After all I don't think Islam says government should assist Hajj.
Let's remember that issue the pastors raised was that considering the present economic situation in Ghana, government should not spend money on anybody.
Let's just agree and tell government to stay away, we will all organise our pilgrimages no matter what. After all it is Ghana's money andIt is not fair to spend it on one religion and say others should not be helped.
Let us keep the facts that you two have agreed on in mind and move on without using religious sentiments.
Separation of Church and State should apply to all religions. In fact if I were a Muslim, I will tell the government to stay off because it is giving us a bad name that we are always dependent on them, and we are not like that.
Guys let brotherly love prevail.
Yaw Opoku, UK 11 years ago
i like your article Fauzan.
i like your article Fauzan.
Eko 11 years ago
I am an atheist but this is what I believe; a good government should not get involved in religion- unless that involvement is to protect the right of an individual to religion. However if government is to get involved then it ... read full comment
I am an atheist but this is what I believe; a good government should not get involved in religion- unless that involvement is to protect the right of an individual to religion. However if government is to get involved then it should be fair to all those religions that are part of the 'spiritual heart' of a nation.
Personally I think the sponsored trip to Jerusalem did not come from a sincere place; it seemed symptomatic of corruption and thoroughly indulgent at a time when their are discussions of water, gas and electricity shortages.
Mike Olongo, USA 11 years ago
I am a christian and I do not support government sponsorship of pilgrimages of any kind; be it to Jerusalem, Mecca, Medina or wherever. No question of goose and gander !
I am a christian and I do not support government sponsorship of pilgrimages of any kind; be it to Jerusalem, Mecca, Medina or wherever. No question of goose and gander !
thuglife 11 years ago
YOU ARE CHRISTIAN OR MUSLIM MEANS YOU ARE A GOOD NEGRO
YOU ARE CHRISTIAN OR MUSLIM MEANS YOU ARE A GOOD NEGRO
Ghanabiya 11 years ago
This perception or believe that government is sponsoring Muslims to go on pilgrimage should not be blamed on those who believe it. People should blame the Muslim leadership. This people have sold their dignity, conscience a ... read full comment
This perception or believe that government is sponsoring Muslims to go on pilgrimage should not be blamed on those who believe it. People should blame the Muslim leadership. This people have sold their dignity, conscience and respect of all the Muslim community to politicians.
If in other countries, the Saudi government will deal with approved organizations, why not in Ghana? The answer lies with the leadership of Muslims in the country.
These people are fake, they have their agenda and are not prepared to work for the interest of Muslims but themselves.
Nii Akwei 11 years ago
Trips to Mecca or Israel should not be a function of the Government in any shape or form. Period.
Trips to Mecca or Israel should not be a function of the Government in any shape or form. Period.
Writer 11 years ago
I challenge this writer and any other Muslim in Ghana to vow to the government not to participate FINANCIALLY in the Hajj operations and we will see what will happen. Do you know who pays to transports Hajj pilgrims to Saud ... read full comment
I challenge this writer and any other Muslim in Ghana to vow to the government not to participate FINANCIALLY in the Hajj operations and we will see what will happen. Do you know who pays to transports Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia when they are stuck in Accra because their flights did not come, and do you know who pays when the flights don't go back to transport them back to Accra and the Saudi authorities are harassing them?
Just come out and ask our government not to intervene and you will know what equality is about. It is true that the so-called pastors's trip to Israel was not properly managed by the government but to say government does not financially support Hajj is ignorance. Ask your leaders who organise your trips what they do with your monies that makes government bail you out.
When pilgrims demonstrated two years ago at Jeddah airport because their flights did not pick them up, do you know who paid for their trip back?
Yes, pilgrims pay but your organisers have often messed up and government has regularly helped FINANCIALLY to avoid political embarrassment.
You can be excused for your ignorance but don't threaten any Pastor.
lilly 11 years ago
Fact ....government sponsors partyexecutives,,their malams,and even chiefs in some instances but not hajj as speculated.
Fact ....government sponsors partyexecutives,,their malams,and even chiefs in some instances but not hajj as speculated.
Kwame vs. Kofi 11 years ago
give all Muslims a one way ticket with prohibited return!!!
Muslims are Terrorists with loudspeakers and they born like grasscutter....
give all Muslims a one way ticket with prohibited return!!!
Muslims are Terrorists with loudspeakers and they born like grasscutter....
thuglife 11 years ago
PUSSYFOOLS AFRICANS WE ARE.PRAY TO doG YOU NEVER SAW AND IGNORE YOUR GOD THAT GIVE BIRTH TO YOU.YOU GIVE YOUR 3000 DOLLERS TO ORGANIZED RELIGIONS EACH YEAR 1500 TO EUROPEANS AND 1500 TO ARABS AND COME HOME WITH ILLUSION CALLE ... read full comment
PUSSYFOOLS AFRICANS WE ARE.PRAY TO doG YOU NEVER SAW AND IGNORE YOUR GOD THAT GIVE BIRTH TO YOU.YOU GIVE YOUR 3000 DOLLERS TO ORGANIZED RELIGIONS EACH YEAR 1500 TO EUROPEANS AND 1500 TO ARABS AND COME HOME WITH ILLUSION CALLED PRAYERS.DO YOU KNOW WHAT A 3000 DOLLERS CAN MAKE LIFT YOUR FAMILY UP.FOOLS YOU BETTER WAKE UP FROM ENSLAVING ORGANIZED RELIGIONS.
DENKYIRAMAN 11 years ago
Is this writer or reporter a real muslim? Several times the muslim pilgrims got stranded in Ghana and Mecca. Who urgently organized immediate transportation by air and road to rescue the pilgrims? The government. What is ... read full comment
Is this writer or reporter a real muslim? Several times the muslim pilgrims got stranded in Ghana and Mecca. Who urgently organized immediate transportation by air and road to rescue the pilgrims? The government. What is this man talking about. Does this man know about the several interventions that various governments (both NDC & NPP)used public funds to support these muslim pilgrims?
Unless Ghana declares any particular religion as "STATE RELIGION", the government has no business sponsoring(or take credit for) any religious group anywhere. So yes, let the goverment come clean with whatever it is doing for ...
read full comment
you are now talking sense instead of threatening the Reverend Minister Presby.
Can they even control the haji. They must withdraw it to the public that they sponor muslim to haji.....why don't we sit back nd think of those dayz when Mojor Essah Mohammed was once a haji communiteee
People are still making the statement in ignorance that gov does not sponsor hajj. Even in the days of Ghana Airways this was done yearly. After GH days gov spends money leasing aircraft at high rates for Muslims. During NPP ...
read full comment
I agree. Maybe Hajj pilgrims do not know because most of them pay for the trip. the organisers usually blow the money and gov jumps in to bail them out when they are stuck at airrport to the embarrasement of gov.Has anyone no ...
read full comment
Muslims pay their own money for the hajj,why can't you fools of Ghana believe that
Yes! people should not write what they do not know and you have just done that. The writer says about 99.9% pay to go to Hajj and only a very few are usually sponsored by the government.
The hajj comes on every year and the ...
read full comment
My brother, please read my article again. I mentioned the Ghana Airways days and the 2M USD as examples only. These are facts that may not be known to you but doesn't mean are not available. You have no idea how much the gov ...
read full comment
Please, whether the Government owed Ghana Airways or not, it should not negate the fact that hardworking Ghanaian pilgrims pay competitive prices each year to go on Hajj. They pay prices, for which their air fares, cost of ac ...
read full comment
My brother, that is the question that I hope past and the present gov will answer publicly. Please believe me, I know that Hajj pilgrims are made to pay, but every gov also spends money to send them .
Let me give you a hin ...
read full comment
Counsellor, don't be too sure about what you know and what someone else does not know?
I can tell you that majority of Ghanaian pilgrims will feel insulted if someone's wants to imply that their Hajj were Government spons ...
read full comment
Guys, I have been monitoring your dialogue. It appears that even though Muslims pay for Hajj, the government from time to time spends money to bail them out when the organization gets in trouble. I think even Ras Mubarak adm ...
read full comment
i like your article Fauzan.
I am an atheist but this is what I believe; a good government should not get involved in religion- unless that involvement is to protect the right of an individual to religion. However if government is to get involved then it ...
read full comment
I am a christian and I do not support government sponsorship of pilgrimages of any kind; be it to Jerusalem, Mecca, Medina or wherever. No question of goose and gander !
YOU ARE CHRISTIAN OR MUSLIM MEANS YOU ARE A GOOD NEGRO
This perception or believe that government is sponsoring Muslims to go on pilgrimage should not be blamed on those who believe it. People should blame the Muslim leadership. This people have sold their dignity, conscience a ...
read full comment
Trips to Mecca or Israel should not be a function of the Government in any shape or form. Period.
I challenge this writer and any other Muslim in Ghana to vow to the government not to participate FINANCIALLY in the Hajj operations and we will see what will happen. Do you know who pays to transports Hajj pilgrims to Saud ...
read full comment
Fact ....government sponsors partyexecutives,,their malams,and even chiefs in some instances but not hajj as speculated.
give all Muslims a one way ticket with prohibited return!!!
Muslims are Terrorists with loudspeakers and they born like grasscutter....
PUSSYFOOLS AFRICANS WE ARE.PRAY TO doG YOU NEVER SAW AND IGNORE YOUR GOD THAT GIVE BIRTH TO YOU.YOU GIVE YOUR 3000 DOLLERS TO ORGANIZED RELIGIONS EACH YEAR 1500 TO EUROPEANS AND 1500 TO ARABS AND COME HOME WITH ILLUSION CALLE ...
read full comment
Is this writer or reporter a real muslim? Several times the muslim pilgrims got stranded in Ghana and Mecca. Who urgently organized immediate transportation by air and road to rescue the pilgrims? The government. What is ...
read full comment