TELLING THE SUCCESS STORY OF THE 2017 HAJJ

TELLING THE SUCCESS STORY OF THE 2017 HAJJ

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the holy land of Mecca, is indubitably, one of the greatest pillars upon which Islam is grounded. In fact, it is not only a necessity for every Muslim to embark on Hajj but a mandatory religious requirement providing there exists, the means. Some Islamic scholars would even tell you that Muslims are challenged by their religious faith to, as much as possible, create the necessary means that would take them to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

You go to Hajj and you have all your sins wiped off as thou you are a newly born. This, you can only find in Hajj. That is why you see Muslims exude so much passion when it comes to matters of Hajj. Give a Muslim everything in this World and deny him Hajj and you will become his worst enemy. On the other hand, give a Muslim good Hajj and deny him everything and you will certainly become his best friend in this World. This goes to underscore the unique significance and indispensability of Hajj in the life of a Muslim.

It is however a truism that the annual organization of Hajj in Ghana, has since time immemorial, been fraught with plethora of challenges ranging from non-availability of flights; to deplorable living conditions at the Hajj Village; to the wanton neglect of the ordeal of disgruntled prospective Hajj pilgrims among several issues. Last year for instance, I dare say that, the challenges bedeviling the annual organization of Hajj in our country, reached a crescendo. It was just a not not not, with almost everything going bad.

It was so bad that the prospective Hajj Pilgrims at the time had to come together and formed an Association of Disgruntled Prospective Hajj Pilgrims to champion their cause through their spokespersons, Shehu Alwala Abdi and Mohammed R. Abdul-Rahman. I recall vividly, the association organized press conferences upon press conferences and issued countless statements on their ordeals but the authorities never showed any concern. The then Tanko-led National Hajj Board wouldn't attend to them. President Mahama wouldn't visit and commiserate with them at the Hajj Village either; but of course, he would go to the Tamale airport to play politics with Hajj at that very moment.

Whilst at it, the sad conditions of these disgruntled prospective pilgrims at the Hajj Village were moving from bad to worse at each passing moment with their exasperation growing geometrically. For instance, in their statement of Thursday September 1, 2016, they accused the organizers of the Hajj of deceit and inhumane treatment being meted out to them at the Hajj Village in Accra. "We have been left stranded and wandering about hopelessly at the Hajj Village under very deplorable condition.

Some of those from outside Accra are the most affected because for more than a week, they have been forced to sleep in the open under mosquito-infested canopies at the Hajj Village with a fading hope of catching a flight," the stranded Hajj pilgrims stated in their press statement, which was signed by their spokespersons, Shehu Alwala Abdi and Mohammed R. Abdul-Rahman. They also questioned the basis for scheduling ONLY ELEVEN FLIGHTS when the Hajj Authorities knew the exact number of paid-up members involved and that, the eleven flights would not be able to contain all of them.

The stranded Muslims, in another development, accused the Mahama government of deliberately flying businessmen and women, foreigners as well as NDC footsoldiers under a so called protocol arrangement to Mecca at their expense. This allegation was confirmed when some of these people, numbering 39, who flew earlier were repatriated by the Saudi Authorities because, among other reasons, they had traveled with some huge bags containing items meant for trade rather than religious commitments; a claim, which was confirmed by the then spokesperson of the National Hajj Board.

"It is very despicable how the aged have been left to sleep in the open, when we have toiled to pay our money well in advance in our quest to go and serve Almighty Allah," their press release intimated. There were also media reports confirming that at least two people had lost their lives at the Hajj Village same year. In the final analysis, a total of 452 prospective Hajj Pilgrims who had duly paid the required amount could not make this all important pilgrimage. That’s how bad the situation was under the NDC despite all their propaganda in respect of the organization of Hajj.

Following all of these seemingly intractable challenges confronting the Ghanaian Muslim in his quest to legitimately practice his faith, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, then, as NPP Running Mate in the buildup to the 2016 general elections, made a passionate appeal to Muslims in particular to repose their trust and confidence in the NPP to better their lot. He appealed to them to vote for the NPP because according to him, the NPP was the ONLY party that could change their narrative especially with him, a Muslim, as the Vice President. I remember very well that he was heavily criticized for suggesting that the Presidency needed a fair balance to reflect the two dominant religions in the country; i.e. Christianity and Islam.

But the good news is that, his innocuous wish came to pass eventually and I would want us to, at this juncture, assess the extent to which His Excellency the Vice President has been able to keep “his social contract” with Ghanaian Muslims particularly regarding Hajj, which remains their number one concern. He started by ensuring that a competent and hardworking 11-member Board was appointed to competently steer the affairs of Hajj. The Board is being chaired by Sheik I.C. Quaye with other notable names like Alhaji Farouk Hamza of GRA, Kamal-Deen Abdulai of Nasara fame and aspiring NYO of NPP, Alhaji Sumaila of the office of the Vice President and Alhaji Manaf of the Saudi Embassy in Ghana.

This award winning team, I am happy to report, has not only vindicated the confidence reposed in them but has also delivered what would go in history, as the MOST SUCCESSFUL HAJJ in the history of Ghana. Gone were those days when issues of Hajj occupied the front pages of our newspapers for all the bad reasons during the annual pilgrimage. This year, the narrative has completely changed owing to the illustrious works of the hardworking members of the Hajj Board and His Excellency the Vice President. In fact, the flight carrying the last batch of pilgrims has arrived from Mecca and that effectively means that the 2017 Hajj is over with a lot of people not noticing because the usual negatives associated with the organization of Hajj were conspicuously missing in the year under review.

Even though, the current Hajj Board inherited a colossal debt amounting to GHc31 million, they still managed to chalk this unprecedented feat. For the first time in the history of Ghana, all the paid-up prospective Hajj Pilgrims were successfully airlifted to Mecca without a single soul left behind. The Board maintained the $3,500 which was paid last year and also managed to clear all the backlogs from last year in respect of the paid-up members (452 in all) who couldn’t make it to Mecca except the few who opted for refund. They also supervised major renovation works at the Hajj Village and constructed for the first time, a HAJJ CLINIC to attend to the health needs of prospective pilgrims and their friends and family members. No wonder there hasn’t been a single incident this year.

In all, there were as many as 14 flights, the highest in the country’s history conveying over 6450 pilgrims to and fro Mecca without any issue. I can go on and on and on but still, cannot finish telling the SUCCESS STORY OF THE 2017 HAJJ. The hardworking members of the Hajj Board are certainly deserving of commendations and more importantly, His Excellency the Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia who has justifiably been VINDICATED. We are very proud of you Mr. Vice President and the Nana Addo-led NPP government for doing this great service to the Ghanaian Muslim and the Islamic faith for that matter. May almighty ALLAH continue to overwhelm you with His bountiful blessings and favours.

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

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UTAG HAS NOW BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK DUE TO THE EXCESSES OF ITS NATIONAL PRESIDENT

UTAG HAS NOW BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK DUE TO THE EXCESSES OF ITS NATIONAL PRESIDENT

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

The Dr. Harry Agbenu-led UTAG would forever be remembered in the history of the Association for all the bad reasons. Dr. Agbenu, who is the National President of UTAG together with his colleague executives have not only embarrassed themselves but have also succeeded in sinking deep, the image of an otherwise serious organization like UTAG in the ocean of opprobrium and ridicule following their posture in the UEW court impasse.

How can you declare a nationwide strike because a competent court of jurisdiction, properly so constituted, has made certain orders which you disagree with? I mean how? Are these lecturers aware that this nation is governed by the Rule of Law? Do they know that whether or not you disagree with a court ruling, you are bound to respect it? Do they know that if you are minded to register your disagreement with a court order, you have every right to invoke the appellate jurisdiction of the Court for redress and that means you can only fight your case in Court? 

Do they think we live in a jungle where anybody can do whatever they like and with impunity? I thought lecturers and for that matter the intelligentsia are supposed to know better. I thought the intelligentsia is the reflection of the conscience of society. Does this repugnant action of Dr. Agbenu and his cohorts speak to the conscience of the contemporary Ghanaian society? Is academia failing us? Are they really the very people imparting knowledge to students in the nation's universities? Are they the very people teaching us to be law abiding at all times? 

I am particularly aghast at the reprehensible conduct of the UTAG President, Dr. Agbenu who has been shamelessly vocal in pushing this outlandish and lawless agenda for his parochial interest. For instance, he likens what is happening to political manipulation and machinations which he claims, he's bent on fighting using UTAG as his weapon. Obviously his suspicion is that, because the plaintiff's lawyer in the matter also doubles as an NPP Member of Parliament, then that means government is behind this whole issue. I guess you are shocked too. 

So, Dr. Agbenu wants the over 400,000 students in all the Public Universities in Ghana to suffer unduly because he wants to achieve a parochial interest? My goodness!The gods must certainly be crazy. How can a lecturer, properly so called, stoop this low? I wonder what at all he is teaching his students. Lawlessness or what? I guess he doesn't even know that it is CONTEMPTUOUS to disrespect a Court Order and that makes him a fine candidate for prosecution. You can't fight the very law that protects you. This is very unconscionable and shameful to say the least.

I'm therefore not surprised that his so called declaration of STRIKE, hasn't seen the light of day as lectures are ongoing in all the Public Universities in the country without interruption. This is what I call, positive defiance and I commend the lecturers for that. Our lecturers have indeed proven that they are very reasonable and law abiding after all. But I think it is not enough to just defy Dr. Agbenu's orders and leave it at that. They should, with immediate effect, activate the necessary processes to impeach him for dragging the good name of UTAG into disrepute. He is very much unfit to lead an intellectual association like UTAG. 

Apologies to my readers if I come across as using very harsh words. I just couldn't help it. I love my lecturers and that's why I want them to live above reproach at all times.

Assalamu alaik 

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

A LEGITIMATE CALL FOR AN OVERWHELMING NATIONAL SUPPORT FOR FREE SHS

A LEGITIMATE CALL FOR AN OVERWHELMING NATIONAL SUPPORT FOR FREE SHS

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Cynicism, they say, doesn't build a nation. It always seems impossible until it is done. Free SHS is a national project that has come to stay. We must all support this novelty regardless of our political persuasions. Undoubtedly, free SHS is by far, the biggest social intervention in our Educational Spector since Independence. It is an investment in the future of the youth of our country.

Our younger brothers and sisters who are the ultimate beneficiaries of this laudable intervention are children of NDC people, NPP people, PPP people, PNC people or CPP people. So, you see clearly that the free SHS project is bigger than any political party. It is therefore a GHANA PROJECT. In critiquing this policy, we must at all times, let the Ghana in us take precedence over the NPP or NPP in us. It doesn't matter which political party is implementing it.

I am not a fan of Kofi Adams of NDC fame. In fact, I have never been. But I tell you one thing; this gentleman has justifiably earned my respect when he called the bluff of his party people who are wishing ill for this national project. Everything cannot be politics in this country. We all know that every single Ghanaian will directly or indirectly benefit from the free SHS programme. So, why the negative wishes? Why do we hate our country this much?

Our criticism of this award winning policy must be constructive and one geared at making it better as the President himself said. Clearly, the implementers of the free SHS programme are not oblivious of the fact that there would be challenges especially at this early stage of implementation; as it is the case in every monumental policy. But definitely, it would get better as we move on. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles, starts with a step. We can never get there if we don't take any step in that direction.

Now, talking about the sustainability of the free SHS programme, once we all agree that it is the way to go for our country, then we shouldn't have difficulty in making little sacrifices towards ensuring its sustainability. We shouldn't for instance, have difficulty agreeing with say, a 1% increment in VAT for this purpose. Nothing good, they say, comes easy.

If we can't make this sacrifice for the future of our country, then we don't have our nation at heart. And that means, we have absolutely no business calling ourselves Ghanaians. EDUCATION, remember, is the PASSPORT to the FUTURE as said by the great Malcolm X. My fellow countrymen and women, it is not enough for us to be citizens. We must be good and responsible citizens for the love of God and country.

Assalamu Alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

ALL HAIL THE ERA OF FREE SHS – IT IS FINALLY HERE

ALL HAIL THE ERA OF FREE SHS – IT IS FINALLY HERE

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Believe it or not, we are now in the era of Free SHS and surely, this should make you happy if you love your country. Glory be thy name for making me live to see this day. You would remember that the cynics told us that this moment would never come. In fact, they even told us that if Free SHS has ever been possible in Ghana, a certain Dr. Kwame Nkrumah would have implemented it. They also said that anything free, lacks quality and therefore we shouldn't waste our time with the talk about Free Education and in particular, Free SHS.

They essentially came across as suggesting that everything was possible in Ghana including going to the moon and building stomach infrastructure EXCEPT Free SHS. No wonder they only win elections in the prisons and NOT in educational establishments. They said a lot of negative things against free education. And as if they hadn't said enough, they also told us that any politician or political party in Ghana that claims they would implement Free SHS if voted for, was engaged in politics of deception and naked mendacity and therefore should be DISREGARDED.

They cared very little about the annual national tragedy where hundreds and thousands of our younger brothers and sisters are compelled to prematurely truncate their education upon completing JHS; because their parents or guardians, genuinely, do not have the money to pay for their SHS education. I suppose their prescription is that the sons and daughters of say, the Charcoal Seller in my hometown, Kete-Krachi, should naturally grow up and become Charcoal Sellers whiles the children of the lawyers, bankers and doctors grow up becoming lawyers, bankers and doctors as the case may be. To them, your family background or home should necessarily determine what kind of future you would have.

The future of these poor and innocent students doesn't matter to them. Perhaps, all that matters to them is how to enrich themselves and their cronies at our expense; so that, they could send their children to the luxurious schools within and outside the Ghanaian jurisdiction. In effect, they saw Education as the PRESERVE of the privilege few rather than a RIGHT for all. They gave no dame about, for instance, the profound observation made by one of the World's all-time finest Human Rights Activist, Malcom X, who contended that, "Education is the PASSPORT to the future, for tomorrow belongs to only those who prepare for it today". However, these unrepentant cynics I'm talking about would have none of that.

But the good news is that this country has been blessed with one particular man who sees EDUCATION as EVERYTHING. He indeed sees education as the passport to the future. Just like Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, if you gave this man an opportunity to make three most important investments in the lives of his people, he would, without equivocation, tell you that his 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd choice would be EDUCATION, EDUCATION and EDUCATION. He has, both in words and in deeds, consistently maintained that no Ghanaian child should stop schooling because of financial challenges; else the State should be blamed for failing that child.

To him, central government must necessarily do everything to ensure that every Ghanaian child receives formal education, at least, up to the Secondary Level in order to give true meaning to our fundamental constitutional principle that says that, EDUCATION IS A RIGHT AND NOT A PRIVILEGE. This is the very principle and conviction underpinning his agelong position to roll out Free SHS system if he ever got an opportunity to be President of this country.

Anytime he spoke about his Free Education or Free SHS, he was heavily lampooned and bastardized by yet again, these cynics of our time. Like I said in my intro, they made us to believe that this man didn't know what he was talking about, and more instructively, they made us to believe that he was deceiving Ghanaians and that, his true intent, was to use this Free SHS mantra to win votes; nothing more, nothing less.

As you know, the cynics had their way in the 2012 general elections because majority of the Ghanaian electorates believed them and voted against Free SHS. So, by that, these cynics had another opportunity to rule this country. You and I would bear testimony to the fact that they messed up everything including EDUCATION whilst visiting untold hardship and hopelessness on the Ghanaian.

But in the 2016 elections, glory be to God, the story was completely different. Ghanaians voted overwhelmingly for Free SHS and for that matter the man I'm talking about, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who was the 2016 Presidential Candidate of the NPP and now, the President of Ghana. And true to their electoral promise, we are today seeing the FULL IMPLEMENTATION of the much talked about FREE SHS by the Nana Addo-led NPP government. Interestingly, they didn't have to wait for a year or two in order to settle down before implementing this monumental project.

They are actually implementing this grandiose policy within their first year in government, which is uncharacteristic of Ghanaian governments since independence in 1957. It just couldn't have been better. Aside the President, one name that stands out in this Free SHS conversation is, the Minister of Education, Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo. No wonder, President Akufo-Addo singles him out for commendations anytime he touts this historic Free SHS achievement of his government. Believe it or not, Free SHS is here with us. The Akufo-Addo government has done it.

And guess what? The cynics are back in town with yet again some ridiculous claims. They now tell us that the very Free SHS which they conspicuously said could NOT be implemented in Ghana, was actually implemented in the country when they were in government. Yes, you heard me right; they said they, rather than the Akufo-Addo government, implemented Free SHS and so, we should give them that CREDIT. Whilst they are saying that, some of them are also raising doubts about the reality of a Free SHS system in Ghana as we speak.

How can you, in one breath, say something is NOT possible and in another breath, say you have implemented it? A typical case of approbation and reprobation! What do they take Ghanaians for? Some zombies or what? Perhaps, they should be reminded that they can only fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time but surely, NOT all the people all the time.

Having said that, I wish to invite you my fellow countrymen and women to join me SALUTE our hardworking President and Vice as well as other leading members of the NPP government especially the Education Minister and his Deputies for doing what no government in our history has been able to even contemplate. Beginning this academic year and effective today, September 11, 2017, our younger siblings who enter SHS, are going to enjoy free tuition, free textbooks, free uniform, free admission fees, free science centre fees, free utility fees, free computer lab fees, free library fees, free examination fees, free boarding fees and free food for all day students.

It is most gratifying to note that government has already released money to all the public Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the country to cater for these cost elements. The government of President Akufo-Addo is of the firm conviction that, by making public Senior High School (SHS) education totally free for every Ghanaian child, the nation would be on the right trajectory to building an educated populace for speedy national development and progress. They have promised and they have delivered. If this doesn't make you happy as a Ghanaian, I wonder what else will. Let’s remain good citizens for the love of our country.

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

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#AmForFreeSHS
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CHANGE HAS INDEED COME AS THE CULTURE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS RESTORED IN OUR BODY POLITIC AND GOVERNANCE REGIME

CHANGE HAS INDEED COME AS THE CULTURE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS RESTORED IN OUR BODY POLITIC AND GOVERNANCE REGIME

Throughout history, the narrative has always been that, in other jurisdictions, politicians and in particular, holders of public offices, TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY for their actions or utterances and face the consequences thereof. But in this part of our world, particularly in Africa and Ghana, the story is one of exact opposite. Almost all our politicians have absolutely no regard for PRINCIPLES. They inflict untold hardship on us. They care little about the suffering masses.

They steal our money left-right-and-centre and when we complain, they insult us on top of that. They often act "very dishonourably" and with so much impunity. The ONLY TIME they get to account to us is when their party lose elections. That is the only time their secret dealings become public and they get to take full responsibility for their acts of indiscretion, stealing and causing financial loss to the State. Examples, you would agree with me, abound, but the current developing story regarding the daylight robbery at SSNIT, summarizes the Ghanaian sad story. These mind blowing revelations would never have come to the limelight for you and me to know, if the NDC had not lost the 2016 elections. That is the Ghanaian story I'm talking about. How sad!

But the good news is that this story is now CHANGING for the better. It is changing not by luck but because we now have a regime that is committed to changing it and ensuring that our politicians, particularly holders of public offices are RESPONSIBLE and ACCOUNTABLE to the citizenry. It is changing because this regime would NOT TOLERATE people who make reckless comments and act irresponsibly. It is changing because the system is such that, every corrupt official would definitely get exposed and dealt with in accordance with law.

It is changing because this regime has made it so. And that is the NPP regime under the distinguished stewardship of His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. You can't steal the taxpayers' money and get away with it. You cannot also just say anything or make any allegations and get away with it. Not in an Akufo-Addo's Ghana. You would necessarily be made to substantiate all your allegations whether you are an Abronye DC, an A+, or a Kennedy Agyapong.

You would also lose your job if you make reckless comments or involve yourself in tribal bigotry as it happened to the Deputy Agric Minister, Hon. William Quaitoo. This hardworking Deputy Minister of State, regrettably, had to lose his job because he had made comments deemed reckless and ethnocentric against people of northern descent even though he had apologized profusely and with remorse. The Akufo-Addo's regime would have none of that and so, the gentleman had to just go.

This clearly sends a signal to all his appointees and the general public that the days of 'babies with sharp teeth' and vitriolic tongues are OVER. It also tells us that people now take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for their responsible IRRESPONSIBILITY, which is a sharp departure from the culture of impunity we had seen especially in the past 8 years. It is also a departure from the days where government officials, after being fired, surreptitiously get REASSIGNED to the Flagstaff House. We are therefore now in a regime of responsibility and accountability. That is the CHANGE we have yearned for and that is the CHANGE we have in President Akufo-Addo and the NPP government. I can now say with pride that I AM A GHANAIAN..

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

JOHN BOADU SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND THE ROADMAP TO THE REVIEW OF THE NPP CONSTITUTION

JOHN BOADU SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND THE ROADMAP TO THE REVIEW OF THE NPP CONSTITUTION

The acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu has thrown more light on resolutions adopted at the 2017 National Annual Delegates Conference of the party which was held at the University of Cape Coast. He also gave some further and better particulars in respect of the processes that would lead to the review of the party constitution and the adoption of same. In an interview he granted Adom fm, John Boadu stated that national conference, which is the highest decision making body of the party, has unanimously resolved that, the party's National Council should set up a committee to streamline all the proposals for amendments that have been received from across the country and the party's external branches. 

This became necessary because of the bulky nature of the proposals which were compiled into a single document and distributed to the relevant stakeholders of the party by the general secretary in pursuance to Article.. of the NPP constitution. This made it practically impossible for the conference to, within a day, deliberate on each proposal and pass the relevant resolution. It also dawned on national conference that, there has been some duplications in respect of the proposals for amendments to certain provisions in the party constitution; hence the need for some fine-tuning with the view to making the document less bulky and reader-friendly for purposes of facilitating its adoption or otherwise.

The other reason necessitating the referral of the document (amendment proposals) to the yet to be established committee, according to John Boadu, has to do with the fact that most of the resolutions received from the regions for onward adoption at national conference are in fact, proposals for constitutional amendments. But, of course, the date of receipt of these regional resolutions, which turned out to be proposals for amendments, make it impossible for national conference to consider them since the constitution provides that such proposals ought to reach National Secretariat, at least one clear month before national conference is held. The decision to do further works on the document by the committee therefore takes care of this 'anomaly'.

The committee, once it has been constituted, is expected to do its work and report back to national conference not later than two months, by which time, the party would be holding an extraordinary national delegates conference. This extraordinary conference, according to the NPP Chief Scribe, would come off between the 2nd and 3rd week of December, 2017 subject to the consideration of National Council. The conference, John Boadu stated, would concern itself with ONLY ONE THING, which is, consideration and adoption of the report (draft constitution) of the committee leading to the promulgation of a revised constitution for the party. 

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen