Hajj Will Be Hitch Free - Vice President

Vice President Kwesi Bekoe - Amissah-Arthur

The Vice President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, has assured the Muslim community of government’s commitment to make this year’s Hajj incident free.

He said just as the government had strived to ensure peaceful and dignified Hajj for Ghanaian pilgrims in the last three years, the same attention would be given this year’s event.

Mr Amissah-Arthur gave the assurance when he joined Muslims at this year’s “Night of Power” at the Banquet Hall of the State House on Thursday.

The Night of Power, which marks the last 10 days of Ramadan, is an occasion for Muslims to pray and seek Allah’s protection.

The prayer session is a practice which hinges on the Muslim belief that there is a particular night called “Lailatul Kadr”,

(the Night of Power), when a Muslim can receive many blessings if their prayers are answered by Allah.

The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, early this year, announced various moves by the government to ensure that there were no challenges in the upcoming pilgrimage.

The measures included moves to transport Muslim pilgrims in northern Ghana to the south to reduce the fustrations involved in travelling to Accra to embark on the pilgrimage to Mecca.

On prayers, the Vice President observed that, as leaders and representatives of the people of Ghana, there was the need to pray regularly without which “we will be limited in our ability to provide effective leadership.”

He said it was on that basis that he considered as very significant any prayer coming from God-fearing people for the purpose of guidance to the leadership of the nation.

“Having critically examined the life lived by our late President Prof Mills, my faith in God has been strengthened. Our late President often said he was not ashamed of praying to God for help,” he said.

Mr Amissah- Arthur said although he was a Christain by faith, after working and living with Muslims, he had come to the realisation what the month of Ramadan meant to every Muslim faithful.

“Denying worldly or material desires empowers our spirit to draw closer to Allah in purity. This makes it possible for us to seek his favours and blessings for the future,” he said.

The National Chief Imam, Shiekh Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu, underscored the need for peaceful co-existence among all religious beliefs.

He said it was only through love and unity of purpose that Ghanaians could support the nation’s socio-economic advancement.

He lauded the late President Mills for his practical demonstration of love and unity, adding that he loved all Ghanaians regardless of one’s social or economic background.