WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF THE CURRENT HAJJ BOARD IN RESPECT OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF MOHAMMED OSMAN ALIDU AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF THE CURRENT HAJJ BOARD IN RESPECT OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF MOHAMMED OSMAN ALIDU AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES 

Quite regrettably, some members of the general public with close association with the NPP, have taken to social media, questioning the status of one of the members of the recently constituted National Hajj Board in the person of Mohammed Osman Alidu, popularly called Alhaji Manaf. Their contention is that, he is a member of the opposition NDC and therefore His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo shouldn’t have appointed him to serve on the National Hajj Board.

Ordinarily, this allegation should not be dignified nor responded to by anybody because it is very petty and ridiculous. Even assuming without admitting that, the said individual is indeed a sympathizer of the NDC, what is the big deal? Is he not a Ghanaian? Hasn't President Nana Addo promised to be a father for all? So what is wrong if the President decides to tap into the expertise of a citizen of this country in the administration of his mandate to the Ghanaian people? Are we now saying that, before any Ghanaian qualifies to work with the Akufo-Addo government, then he/she must necessarily belong to the NPP? Is that how we build a nation? 

In any case, facts are that, the gentleman in question, Mohammed Osman Alidu is NOT even a member of the NDC. The fact that he worked with the previous Hajj Board doesn't make him an NDC member. Indeed, he has been working with the National Hajj Secretariat since 2008 when NPP was in power under the Executive Secretaryship of Alhaji Osmanu Yunusah, otherwise referred to as Alhaji Oluman, as he is affectionately called. I guess that makes him [Mohammed Osman Alidu] an NPP member too. You see the poverty of the logic we are being confronted with? 

What we must all understand is that, Alhaji Osman Alidu is an official of the Saudi Embassy in Ghana, who is basically in charge of visa acquisition. It is very instructive to note that until the year 2008, the issue of visa acquisition was a nightmare for prospective hajj pilgrims at the Saudi Embassy. This was the reason why the Kufour government decided to bring on-board Mohammed Osman Alidu to work at the National Hajj Secretariat so that he would assist with the visa issues, which he did quite masterfully to the admiration of all. 

So when the NDC came to power in 2009, they decided to maintain him on the National Hajj Board, under the chairmanship of Alhaji Tanko, the current MP for Yagba Kubore. Someway somehow, when Hon. Tanko (the then Hajj Board Chairman) was officially launching his campaign, he invited all the members of the Board including Mr. Mohammed Osman Alidu to grace the occasion, just like, Hon. Alban Bagbin and Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu supporting each other at their respective campaign launch because of their close relationship and nobody had issues with that. 

It was at the launch of Hon. Tanko’s campaign that some pictures of him, together with Mr. Mohammed Osman Alidu and few others were taken, of course, with an NDC background for obvious reasons. Interestingly, these are the pictures that people are now circulating on social media platforms as proof that Mr. Mohammed Osman Alidu is an NDC member and calling on the President to reconsider his appointment. Well, I will leave you here, to make your own judgements. 

Finally, let me use this opportunity to state on record that contrary to media reports, the office of the National Chief Imam was adequately consulted before the National Hajj Board was constituted. As a matter of fact, the National Chief Imam nominated one Alhaji Mohammed Osman Yunusah to represent him on the National Hajj Board. So it cannot be true, allegations that, His Excellency President Nana Addo has sidelined the revered office of the National Chief Imam in this process. 

Indeed, for the first time in the history of this country, the National Chief Imam, Sheick Osman Shaributu jointly inaugurated the 2017 National Hajj Board with His Excellency President Nana Addo at the Jubilee House. How can a Chief Imam, whom we are being told, was completely sidelined in the formation of a committee, be the one ‘inaugurating’ the said committee? Obviously, this story can only be told the marines. The thoughts of a responsible citizen not a spectator.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

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