The Ministry of Interior has declared Monday, June 17, 2024, as a public holiday to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the festival of sacrifice.
Eid-ul-Adha typically falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
This year, Eid coincides with Sunday, June 16th. Since it would fall on a weekend, the Ministry of Interior in a statement declared the following Monday a holiday to ensure everyone has the opportunity to celebrate.
This is a statutory public holiday and should be observed throughout the country.
Eid-ul-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah’s (God’s) command to sacrifice his son.
Read the entire statement below;
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: 𝑇𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑑𝑎𝑦, 𝐽𝑢𝑛𝑒 11, 2024
𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲.
The general public is hereby informed that Sunday, 16th June, 2024 marks Eid-Ul-Adha which is a Statutory Public Holiday.
However, in view of the fact that 16th June, 2024 falls on a Sunday, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, has by Executive Instrument (E.I), in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, (Act 601) declared 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 as an additional Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country.
Signed
HENRY QUARTEY (MP)
MINISTER FOR THE INTERIOR
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Meanwhile, Ghanaian pilgrims currently in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj have urged the Ghana Hajj Board to enhance services, citing room for improvement despite satisfactory progress so far.
Over 4,000 Ghanaian pilgrims, including 2,200 from Tamale and the rest from Accra, have been accommodated and fed, with all having performed the lesser Hajj (ummrah).
As part of the pillars of Islam, Muslims are required to at least embark on a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.
Yearly, millions of Muslims around the world travel to Mecca to perform Hajj, with this year’s Hajj ticket costing about GHC 75,000 per passenger.
The first of nine flights scheduled for this year’s Hajj, departed from the Tamale International Airport in the Northern Region, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
Some pilgrims expressed dissatisfaction with food options, noting that while food is provided, it sometimes doesn’t meet their demands.
“As for food, they are giving us food but the food sometimes is not what we demand but at least, they bring us food so we cannot say there’s no food. I think they can do better because before you become a task force, you have to be familiar with the area so that you can help others.”
The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Hajj Board, Alhaji Farouk Hamza, speaking to Channel One News acknowledged the challenges but assured that they have been overcome, with preparations underway for the main Hajj.
Pilgrims have however performed ummrah and are eagerly awaiting the Hajj.
“We managed to overcome some of these challenges. We succeeded in airlifting. There are over 4000 pilgrims from Ghana, 2,200 from Tamale and the rest from Accra. Everybody is well accommodated, everybody is being fed. And everybody has performed the lesser Hajj which is the ummrah. Now we are in readiness for the main Hajj.”