The leaders of major Muslim stake­holder organisations and institutions in Ghana, under the auspices of the Na­tional Chief Imam, have presented a petition to the President, calling for an urgent reset of the man­agement of Hajj operations in the country.The petition, according to the signatories, seeks to address long-standing challenges of trans­parency, accountability, inclusivity, and excessive politicisation in the administration of the annual pilgrimage.The petitioners commended the President for his commitment to institutional reforms and good gov­ernance, citing his introduction of Islamic finance and banking and the declaration of an additional Muslim holiday as proof of his willingness to respond to the needs of the Muslim community.They, however, stressed that despite these initiatives, the Hajj management system remains fraught with inefficiencies that have created hardships for pilgrims over the years.One of the central concerns raised was the absence of a legally established and incorporated body to manage Hajj in the countryThe petitioners argued that suc­cessive Hajj bodies have operated in an ad-hoc manner, lacking legal capacity, despite handling millions of dollars annually and overseeing the lives of thousands of pilgrims."A body that receives millions of US dollars, signs contracts, and manages the lives of pilgrims must have a clear legal status," the peti­tion stated, adding that the current arrangement undermines account­ability and effective management.The Muslim leaders again pointed out that over a 14-year operational period between 2009 and 2024, ex­cluding the two years of COVID-19 suspension, an estimated USD 282.6 million had been collected in Hajj fare payments.However, successive Hajj bodies have failed to publish annual audit reports, leaving the Muslim Ummah in the dark about the use of funds, they described this as lack of transparency, accountability and unacceptable, and called for urgent reforms.Additionally, they urged the President to support the rein­troduction of the National Hajj Council, which was established by Muslim stakeholder groups in 2005 as a limited liability body by guar­antee, with government backing.Unlike the current system, the council had produced publicly available audited reports, setting a precedent for transparent manage­ment.The petition also raised concerns about the excessive politicisation of Hajj operations, noting that political interference has often undermined the effective running of the pilgrim­age.According to the stakeholders, a non-governmental, autonomous Hajj body insulated from partisan influence would better serve the interests of the Muslim community.Other key issues highlighted included the lack of inclusivity of major Muslim organisations in de­cision-making, the perception that government subsidises Hajj packag­es, which they argued affects the im­age of Islam among non-Muslims and the recent rise in unapproved routes used by some Ghanaians to travel for Hajj, which has tarnished the nation's image internationally.Moreover, the petitioners proposed a range of measures, including the introduction of dif­ferent Hajj packages to suit various income levels, levies to support community development projects, and the allocation of quotas to qualified private operators in order to improve competition and service delivery.In conclusion, the petitioners appealed to the President to use his leadership and experience to establish a permanent, transparent, and inclusive Hajj body.Signatories to the petition included leaders from the Ahlussu­na Wal Jama'a, the Shia Muslim Community, Tijjaniya Muslim Movement of Ghana, Faidhatul Tijjanniya Brahimiya Council, National Council of Zongo Chiefs, Muslim Ummah Supreme Council of Ghana, Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Federation of Mus­lim Women Associations in Ghana, Tabligh Jama'a, and the Conference of Regional Chief Imams. BY TIMES REPORTER