President John Dramani Mahama is being heavily criticised by a section of the public over his recent sod-cutting for the construction of an ultramodern state-of-the-art Hajj Village at Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
Following the backlash, proponents of the government, including the Spokesperson of the President, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, have clarified that no state funds would be used in the construction of the village.
But the critics, including former Auditor-General Daniel Yao Domelevo, are not buying into the explanation, insisting that the construction of the Hajj Village cannot be a priority for the government given the current economic predicament the country finds itself in.
Proponents of the largest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have even accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of being hypocritical because they criticised the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government for the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana but are now investing in a similar project.
But are the criticisms of the Mahama government justified? Is the construction of the Hajj Village just another example of state funds being used for a religious edifice like the National Cathedral?
Here are some details about the two projects:
Purpose of the Hajj Village and the National Cathedral of Ghana:
National Cathedral:
Details on the official website of the National Cathedral indicate that the purpose of the project is to provide “a sacred space and infrastructure for the formal religious activities of the nation, such as state funerals and presidential inaugural services. It is this national character that distinguishes it from other cathedrals in the country.”
The project, which was contracted to iconic Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, is expected to have a 5,000-seat auditorium that can expand to 15,000, a 10,000-square-metre space, and a Bible Museum and Documentation Centre.
It is also expected to have a Biblical Garden with vegetation from the Bible, a 450-square-metre area for activities, exhibits, and Bible-related storytelling, an art gallery for Ghanaian artists, a school for music and choir, a shopping space, as well as multipurpose spaces for events and other uses.
Hajj Village
The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), which is constructing the Hajj Village, has stated that the village is to facilitate pilgrims during the months of Hajj and to cater for the needs of the public all year round.
According to a report by GNA, the company, in a statement, said that the village is a transformative mixed-use development located near Kotoka International Airport, featuring six essential facilities designed to support the annual Hajj pilgrimage while also serving the general public throughout the year.
The company indicated that the key amenities of the project include residential accommodation, a clinic, a terminal, conference spaces, recreational areas, and offices.
The statement said the commercial facilities, such as the residential accommodation, conference centre, and sports complex, would serve the general public during non-Hajj months to generate revenue for the sustenance of GACL.
It is instructive to note that the Hajj Village has been in existence for several decades and was created to provide temporary accommodation to Muslims from around the country who would be travelling for the Hajj.
Personal Promise vs Business Venture:
National Cathedral:
The construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana was in fulfilment of a promise former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made to God.
Akufo-Addo, during the groundbreaking ceremony to commence the cathedral’s construction in 2020, stated that the construction of the cathedral was to fulfil his promise to God.
“I made a pledge to Almighty God that if He was gracious enough to grant my party, the New Patriotic Party, and me victory in the 2016 elections, after two unsuccessful attempts, I would help build the cathedral to His glory and honour,” Akufo-Addo said at a ceremony.
Hajj Village:
Unlike the construction of the National Cathedral, the Hajj Village is not in fulfilment of any presidential promise to God.
The GACL, in the statement reported by GNA earlier, indicated that the construction of the new Hajj Village was part of its effort to raise funds for the company.
The construction of the new Hajj Village started during the Akufo-Addo era, well before President John Dramani Mahama was sworn into office and even before the 2024 presidential election.
NPP MP for Gushegu, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, who was Deputy Minister for Transport when the construction of the new Hajj Village started, called out President Mahama for cutting sod for it.
“Did I hear President John Mahama is going to cut sod for a new Hajj Village in Accra on Friday?
“This project has been ongoing since last year, and it is the initiative of the former Transport Minister Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, with the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and the Hajj Board as the implementing bodies,” he wrote on Facebook.
Funding of the Two Projects:
One of the issues being debated about the projects is the use of state funds. But is there a case?
National Cathedral:
The Akufo-Addo government initially indicated that the construction of the National Cathedral was not going to be funded by the state and that the state was only going to provide seed money and land.
However, it turned out that the state used millions for the construction of the cathedral, with nothing substantive to show for the amount spent so far.
Former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta confirmed taking money from the Contingency Vault to fund the construction of the National Cathedral, which he said was completely legal because the cathedral was state-owned.
“I want to state that this is just not true. Let me be categorical, I have taken no money from the Contingency Fund to make payments for the National Cathedral,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.
“…the withdrawals were lawfully done from the Contingency Vault and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the proponents,” he added.
Hajj Village:
The Ghana Airports Company has stated that, being a state-owned self-sustaining commercial entity, it generates its own funds internally.
It said that in doing so, the company needed to generate revenues from commercial partnerships with various investors while facilitating the movement of aircraft, passengers, cargo, and mail.
It said one of such ventures was the Hajj Village, which was a GACL initiative to facilitate pilgrims during the months of Hajj and to cater for the needs of the public all year round.
It stated that the project is being developed by Mawums Limited, a Ghanaian civil engineering and real estate firm, in partnership with Ghana Airports Company Limited, and is expected to be completed in 24 months.
BAI/WILBK
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