It is quite unfortunate that, we have a lot of neutral-sycophants, cowards clergy, and interest-driven intellectuals who are just watching unconsciously, and unconcerned for the public funds of Ghana to be used for the construction of a permanent Hajj Village for the Muslims community. This was the decision by John Mahama government days ago. But the use of public funds to sponsor the construction of the Hajj Village can be best described as a criminally masterminded government decision at the detriment of taxpayers.
The truth be told; we are creating a dangerous society where the minority enjoys preferential treatment at the detriment of the majority largely due to barefaced hypocrisy of certain politicians.
It is absolute absurdity to conclude that Hajj Village should be funded with public money. But the same politicians failing to advance the same argument for the construction of the National Cathedral, which stands to benefit majority of Christians.
Do you notice the unbridled hypocrisy here? Or politics of convenience at the expense of the Ghanaians?
Why not even pilgrimage village to serve Christians, Muslims and other religious communities within the country to demonstrate all-inclusiveness?
This is a serious error in judgement under a supposed experienced Driver Mahama.
According to John Mahama, the permanent Hajj Village would provide more organized and dignified environment for Muslim Pilgrims before their departure to Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the taxpayers monies would be used to build a smaller version of Terminal 3 of Kotoka International Airport, consisting of:
1. Big Mosque
2. Large Ablution Area
3. Hostel/Accommodation Facility
4. Ultramodern Health Center similar to Bank of Ghana Hospital.
5. Large Market
6. Catering Services
7. Immigration Desks
8. Check-in Counters
However, with respect to the National Cathedral Project for Christians, John Mahama stated that “on the future of the project, the Cathedral, I believe that all of us, as Christians, must forge a consensus on how to achieve this project without recourse to public funds”. So what has changed?,
If the National Cathedral deserves no public funding then why should the State funds be used for the construction of permanent Hajj Village for the Muslims? Can we make any meaningful sense out of the double standards decision of John Mahama’s administration? Absolutely not.
Far from religious bigotry, the President must stop promoting this religious discrimination at this stage. The President must be innovative enough to device alternative means of generating funds to finance Muslim project as this. Mr Mahama, stay away from our scarce public funds for such projects. Learn from former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akofo-Addo on this particular subject.
If it wasn’t right under Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to support the construction of the National Cathedral for Christians, it cannot certainly be acceptable to use public funds to finance Muslims Hajj Village.
However, can the President tell us:
1. the total cost of the permanent Hajj Village project.
2. how the contract was awarded
3. Which company the contract was awarded to, both the architecture company and the construction company.
3. the justification and economic proprietress of this project at the detriment of the National Cathedral.
4. how the facility would be maintained, operated and managed.
5. Would the public funds continuously be used to pay the employees working at the permanent Hajj Village after its completion.
The “barking dogs” on Akufo-Addo’s Government, both partisans and neutrals are now eating or busy looking for appointments/opportunities so they have become quite on national matters under their new found love Mahama.