A former member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Awal Mohammed says he is not surprised the Hajj board has been found to have embezzled funds to the tune of 257,000Ghana cedis.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper at the Manhyia Palace, Mr Mohammed said the Hajj committee under the board had often taken money from interested Muslims who had wanted to embark on the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.
According to him, several friends and relatives had suffered similar fate and had to abandon their long held desire to fulfil one of the Islamic pillars.
He, therefore, tasked the new government to speedily conduct more investigations into the operations of the former committee since more for will be uncovered at the board.
REVELATIONS:
Throwing more light on the operations of the board, Mr Mohammed who is now a member of the New Patriotic Party’s communications team noted corruption had been pervasive in all aspects of the board’s operations.
He disclosed quotas were allotted to cronies of the members of the board as well as the committee.
Many undeserved persons whose claims to be Muslims were difficult to prove were however sent to the holy place.
Others who were Muslims but were not part of the screened members for the trip were given protocol treatment to embark on Hajj.
He noted many had in the course of seeking to get back their monies after been refused entry into the flights for Mecca had unfortunately been denied.
CURE:
Proposing a cure for this wanton dissipation of state funds at the place, Mr Mohammed called for a total overhaul at the Hajj board.
He tasked the NPP government to bring light to the operations of the board and it’s subsequent committee that would be formed later.
But, the NPP communications member rallied the NPP government to hurriedly prosecute the former and outgoing board and committee members.
This, he stressed would serve as a lesson for the incoming administration to observe all regulations governing the conduct of public officers.
