Current Hajj Board is being disingenuous; we inherited legacy debt of $7.8million – Former Hajj Board fires back

The Hajj Board under former President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reacted to the legacy debt left behind by their government.

According to a statement issued on February 6 and signed by Fmr. Hajj Board Chairman Hon. Alhaj Ben Abdallah Banda Esq. the NDC government failed to acknowledge that they left debt which the Nana. Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government had to pay for it.

Also, the Akufo-Addo government had to deal with persons who had paid their Hajj fees but were unable to be airlifted.

To them, the current government is being disingenuous by not referring to the legacy debt inherited in 2017 when they came to power.

“The attempt therefore to refer to the current legacy debt without reference to the legacy debt inherited in 2017 is most unfair and unfortunate because it does not represent a full disclosure of the genesis of the current legacy debt. It is trite that governance is a continuum inheriting both assets and liabilities.”

*RESPONSE TO THE 2025 HAJJ TASK FORCE ON LEGACY DEBT*

We note with concern, claims made by the leader of the interim Hajj Taskforce, Hon. Collins Dauda, at the Hajj 2025 package announcement and wish to respond as follows:

1. At the beginning of the mandate of the former President H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2017, we inherited a debt of $7.8million US Dollars from the previous Hajj managers in 2016 under the NDC administration.

2. The above legacy debt included Four Hundred and Twenty-Five (425) fully paid prospective pilgrims who could not be airlifted to perform their hajj in 2016 and were entitled to either a refund or rebooking for the subsequent Hajj seasons. Through the instrumentality of the then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the stranded persons were airlifted.

3. At the end of our tenure in 2024, a total debt of $4,859,250 is what was left behind as contained in our handing over notes. This information was shared with the new administration in the handing over notes delivered to the Chief of Staff at the Presidency.

4. The attempt therefore to refer to the current legacy debt without reference to the legacy debt inherited in 2017 is most unfair and unfortunate because it does not represent a full disclosure of the genesis of the current legacy debt. It is trite that governance is a continuum inheriting both assets and liabilities.

5. Indebtedness from organising Hajj arise as a result of various factors, the key being the fluctuations of the foreign exchange market.

6. We call on the taskforce to always give the full historical antecedents of the legacy debt in order not to cause disaffection within the Muslim Community.

7. The erstwhile Hajj Board wishes the current Hajj Taskforce well in this year’s Hajj operations.

*SIGNED*

Hon. Alhaj Ben Abdallah Banda Esq.

Fmr. Hajj Board Chairman

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