National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has preached that Allah finds pleasure in commitment to piety rather than offering animal sacrifices.

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In a message to commemorate the celebration of Eid ul-Adha, the Chief Imam called on Ghanaian Muslims to embrace unity, harmony, and respect.

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According to him, the Eid-ul-Adha festival serves as a reminder to choose unity over division, forgiveness over vindictiveness, and peace over violence.

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“Eid-ul-Adha is a festivity of sacrifice and an opportunity to reaffirm our faith in Allah.

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“Allah is not interested in the flesh and blood of the animals sacrificed, but in our commitment to piety,” he said.

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He ended his speech with a call for an end to the violence in conflict zones, specifically in Gaza.

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“Genocidal impunity and moral bankruptcy. We cannot surrender our God-given humanity to modern-day barbarity in the name of supremacy," he added.

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In the same vein, President John Dramani Mahama has admonished Ghanaians to unite and focus on building a better Ghana.

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According to him, Eid ul-Adha celebration embodies these values that Ghanaians must uphold.

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“Let’s use this celebration to strengthen our bonds of brotherhood and the commitment to work together to build the Ghana we want,” he stated.

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Today, Friday, June 6, has been declared a statutory public holiday for the Eid al-Adha celebration.

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Eid al-Adha celebration marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca or Hajj.

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The celebration brings together Muslims across the globe in spirit with a shared commitment to faith and also perform acts of charity on the day of the occasion.

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The Hajj pilgrimage begins on the 8th day of Dhul Hijjah and lasts till the 13th of the month.

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This year’s pilgrimage recorded a massive turnout due to the Mahama-led government’s decision to reduce the Hajj pilgrimage fee to 62,000 to 75,000 Ghana cedis under the previous administration.

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Approximately 6,000 Ghanaian Muslims traveled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025.

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These numbers show an increase of 2,000 Ghanaian participants as compared to 4,000 last year.

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The continuous appreciation of the local currency could reduce the fees Ghanaian Muslims pay to travel to Mecca to perform Hajj pilgrimage.

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President John Dramani Mahama announced this during his Thank You Tour in Kintampo in the Bono East Region on Thursday, May 29.

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According to him, pilgrims are likely to pay as low as GHC 50,000 next year, down from GHS 62,000.

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“At the time we started paying for the Hajj, the Cedi was at GHC15.5 to the dollar. So, the fare we came up with for the $4,000 cost to do the Hajj came to GHC 62,000,” he explained.

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“Next year, if you do a calculation with where the Cedi is currently—GHC 10.5—it means the fare for Hajj may go below GHC 50,000.”

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