Hajj Crisis: IC Quaye snubs Prez. Akufo-Addo’s Appointee

• Posted on March 14, 2018
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Trouble is brewing within the Hajj Board again as the national chairman Sheikh IC Quaye is accused of unilaterally making changes within its communication directorate without recourse to the Presidency.

The 11-member Hajj Board and other officials heading the various units of the board were appointed by President Akufo-Addo in February 2017 with a four-year mandate.

However, Sheikh Quaye without recourse to the Presidency has allegedly sidelined the Director of Communications of the Board, A.R Gomda, and has given the position to one Dr. (Alhaji) Abubakar Sidick Ahmed.

The development is brewing tension within the Board and the Zongo communities since some board members claim they are unaware of the changes in the leadership of the communication directorate.

The new head of communication Dr (Alhaji) Ahmed of Radio Universe was mandated to invite the media to the Board’s maiden press conference in 2018 on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 to announce “activities, programmes and package (fare) for Hajj 2018.”

Speaking to Starrfmonline.com on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 Dr Ahmed confirmed issuing the media invitation in his capacity “as the acting director of communications due to some internal issues.”

The substantive communications director Alhaji Gomda could not be reached over the development.

However, Starrfmonline.com can confirm the Office of the Vice President, which supervises the operations of the Hajj Board, is privy to the development “and will take prompt action to arrest the situation.”

“We want the 2018 Hajj to be trouble-free unlike the pockets of issues surrounding last year’s pilgrimage. The Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is aware of the situation. The Chairman of the Board Sheikh IC Quaye will be invited over soon,” a source at the second highest office of the land said.

Sheikh Quaye and Gomda have been at each other’s throat since last year after Starrfmonline.com broke news about one Zak Rahman, a communication officer of the Board, who collected huge sums of monies from prospective pilgrims who could not travel to Mecca. The former MP accused his spokesperson of being behind such publications aimed at undermining the Board, an allegation the veteran journalist denied.

-Starrfmonline