A former Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo, has criticised the John Dramani Mahama-led government over what he believes is a misplaced priority.
Reacting to the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu’s statement that the construction of the Hajj Village will not come at any cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer, Domelevo described the project as ‘fruitless and wasteful.’
He expressed his shock over the government’s decision to prioritise the construction of the project, especially when the economy is still recovering from the trauma of the $58 million spent on the National Cathedral with little to show for it.
“It is truly astonishing—especially as we grapple with recovering over $58 million squandered on the National Cathedral project— that one of the key priorities of the Mahama administration is the fruitless and wasteful Hajj Village project,” he disclosed on Monday, March 3, 2025.
Domelevo echoed similar concerns raised by a section of Ghanaians regarding the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) being a state-owned enterprise, with its proceeds and revenue belonging to the state.
He dismissed the assertion that the project would not be developed using state funds.
Additionally, he emphasised that the government could potentially be a major shareholder in the enterprise, further questioning the credibility of the claim that no public money would be involved in the development of the Hajj village.
“Honorable Felix Kwakye Ofosu, please tell it to the marines. The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) is a state-owned enterprise, which means it has no shareholders or the Government owns majority of the shares. The GACL is owned and controlled by the government of Ghana,” he said.
Domelevo questioned the necessity of the Hajj Village project, pointing out how other countries are making significant strides in their infrastructure development while Ghana seems to be celebrating mediocre achievements instead.
“Ethiopia has a Muslim population equal to or bigger than the entire population of Ghana. Again, Ethiopia is several times (about 5 times) the size of Ghana. Instead of a Hajj village, they built a 5star Skylight hotel with over 1000 rooms for passengers and they are continuously expanding terminal 2.
“In fact, the celebrated Terminal 3 at the Kotoka International Airport does not compare favorably with Terminal 2 of Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. We should stop celebrating mediocrity,” he concluded.
Domelevo is the latest to express his concerns about the project, which has sparked discussions in the country over its source of funding.
Despite clarifications and assurances from the government that no taxpayer money will be used for its funding, many continue to raise issues, pointing out that GACL is a state-owned company.
The project, if constructed, will serve as a dedicated terminal to facilitate the check-in and processing of Ghanaians traveling to Mecca for their pilgrimage.
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