Nana Akufo-Addo has said he will dissolve and reconstitute the current Hajj Board should he win the December polls.
Mr Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, 14 August, told Muslims in Tarkwa in the Western Region that a reconstitution of the board will ensure that it does its work without favouring prospective pilgrims based on their political affiliation.
Responding to an allegation by the spokesperson for the Council of Zongo Chiefs and Imams, Mallam Somed, that hajj pilgrims are selected based on political affiliation, Nana Akufo-Addo said such discrimination was bound to happen since the Hajj Board is “heavily politicised”.
According to him, under his watch as president, only apolitical people will be appointed onto the board.
“This will ensure that Muslims from all parts of the country are afforded the opportunity to fulfil this pillar of Islam. This is the best arrangement that we can have – an independent, non-partisan Hajj Board that will ensure that all Muslims in every part of the country have an opportunity to go to Mecca,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr Akufo-Addo has also promised to restore allowances for Arabic teachers should he come into government.
The NPP flag bearer recounted how, under the presidency of John Agyekum Kufuor, monthly allowances for Arabic tutors were paid.
However, these allowances, he noted, have been cancelled by President John Mahama with the excuse that “there is no money”.
Nana Akufo-Addo, therefore, assured the Sarkin Zongo, Alhaji Ali Arizikiya, and the Municipal Chief Imam, Alhaji Mohammed Umar Cisse, that “when I am given the opportunity to serve the nation, I will reintroduce the allowances paid to Arabic tutors”.
Additionally, he stated that the NPP’s policy is to “integrate Arabic schools into the Ghana Education Service, so that whatever assistance is given to non-Arabic schools will be given to Arabic schools. This will ensure the rapid upgrading and development of Arabic schools.”
Nana Akufo-Addo also pledged that under his presidency, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) will be made to assist Arabic schools.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
