Ramadan Fasting Expected To Start Next Week – Ramadan Confab

The start of the 2023 Ramadan fast is expected to fall on either Thursday, March 23 or March 24, depending on the sighting of the new moon. If the moon is spotted on Wednesday, March 22, fasting will commence the following day, but if it is not seen until March 23, then March 24 will be the first day of Ramadan.

These details were announced in a statement issued at the end of the 29th National Ramadan Conference held in Cape Coast, Central Region. The two-day conference had the theme of “Consolidating the Unity of Muslim Ummah for National Development” and was attended by Islamic scholars, Muslim chiefs, Regional Chief Imams, and other dignitaries.

The statement, which was signed by the Deputy National Secretary of the Hilal Committee, Alhaji Baba N. Dawud, expressed concern about the significant increase in the 2023 hajj fare from GH¢40,000.00 to GH¢75,000.00, which amounts to an 87.5% increase.

The conference called for a stakeholder consultative conference to review the hajj fare, considering its negative impact on families’ socio-economic development and youth empowerment.

It also called on the Muslim caucus in parliament to address the issue. In addition, the communique addressed other matters, including the need for the government to review the Quota System in the Public Colleges of Education, promote TVET, and support the Zakat and Sadaqat Trust Fund of Ghana.

Finally, the statement called on the relevant authorities to intervene in the chieftaincy dispute in Bawku in the Upper East Region to promote peaceful coexistence among the people and intensify sensitization efforts on the dangers of possessing illegal small arms.