Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama, has reaffirmed his commitment to the promises made during his campaign.

Speaking at the National Prayer and Thanksgiving service held at the Ghana National Mosque over the weekend, Mahama outlined a series of initiatives aimed at supporting Muslims in the country.

“I am trying to keep the promises that were made to the Muslim community,” President Mahama declared, to loud applause from the gathering.

One of the key promises Mahama highlighted was the drastic reduction of Hajj fares.

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He disclosed the formation of a five-member Hajj task force, led by Ghana’s longest-serving Member of Parliament, Honourable Collins Stablar.

The team, according to Mahama, will depart for the Holy Land on Monday to participate in the Hajj conference, where they will negotiate ways to lower the cost of the pilgrimage.

“And one of the tasks I’ve given them is to go and make arrangements so that we can bring the Hajj fares as low as possible so that many Muslims who intend to perform the pilgrimage can do so,” Mahama said.

The president also announced plans to introduce a second public holiday for Eid-el-Fitr, extending the celebration of the end of Ramadan. “As soon as Parliament settles, we’ll amend the Holidays Act to include an extra day for Eid-el-Fitr.”

Upholding religious freedoms was also a priority in Mahama’s speech. He reiterated the government’s commitment to the constitutional right of Ghanaians to practice any religion freely.

The president also pledged to improve educational opportunities for Muslim students, particularly those from underserved communities, adding that, “We aim to increase the number of Muslim doctors, lawyers, and tech experts in Ghana.”

Mahama promised to recruit more Arabic teachers to meet the needs of Islamic schools across the country.

In a bid to empower Muslims in economically disadvantaged areas, the president also outlined plans to establish the Soyayya Fund.

The microcredit initiative, Mahama explained, would provide financial support to families in deprived Muslim communities, enabling them to start small businesses and improve their livelihoods.

Mahama also revealed that discussions are underway with the Bank of Ghana to introduce Islamic banking instruments into the national financial system.