A Western Region-based pressure group, Advocacy for Citizens Ghana (ACG), has chided President Mahama’s administration for engaging in what it described as double standards, and lack of transparency in the recently announced construction of a Hajj Village for Muslim pilgrims.
The group argued, that after accusing the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of dissipating state resources on the construction of a national cathedral, the Mahama-led administration is doing same by spearheading the construction of a Hajj village for Muslims, an action they describe as double standards.
Worst of it, according to the group, is the lack of transparency concerning the monetary cost involved for the construction of the said Hajj village.
In a statement issued in Takoradi last Friday, the group challenged the government to come clear on the matter.
“If opposition to the National Cathedral was based on the principle that the state should not fund religious infrastructure, then the same principle should apply to the Hajj Village. Otherwise, it suggests a selective application of standards, which undermines public trust in governance,” the statement said.
The statement continued “The government must be forthright with Ghanaians regarding the financial commitments involved in this project. Transparency in state-funded initiatives is crucial to ensuring accountability and fostering trust among citizens.”
The news of constructing a Hajj Village which government says it is the sole initiative of the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) recently hit the public and has been largely criticized by sections of the public.
Government came under a barrage of criticisms after it sought to justify the construction by stating that the cost did not involve the tax-payer’s money and that it was an investment being undertaken by the GACL.
ACG however maintained that the full amount to be expended on the project is still unknown and the source of funding has not been explained satisfactorily.
The group, therefore, called on all well-meaning Ghanaians; including religious leaders, civil society organizations, and the media to demand answers from government to ensure that the state’s resources are channelled into productive avenues for the benefit of all Ghanaians.
“We urge all stakeholders…to demand accountability and ensure that national resources are used in a manner that reflects true national interest, not selective convenience,” the statement noted.
