The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: The National Chief Imam of Ghana, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, has officially announced the start of the 2024 Ramadan fast in Ghana.

This is based on confirmed sightings of the new crescent across 10 regions of the country on Monday.

The regions confirmed by the National Hilal Committee, a body mandated to seek out the crescent, included the Greater Accra, Volta, Oti, Savannah, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West, Western, Western North and Eastern.

The announcement was made during a press briefing organised by the office of the National Chief Imam at the Fadama residence of the National Chief Imam.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Imam, the Spokesperson, Sheikh Armeyaw Shuaib, said, “Tuesday, March 12, becomes the first day of Ramadan in Ghana.”

In an interview, he explained that circumstances compelled Muslims to reach a consensus on how to start and end the fasting of the holy month of ramadan.

He said reaching a consensus was crucial in the gazetting of Muslim festivities as part of national holidays.

Though some Ghanaians began their fasting on Monday, he said the Office of the National Chief Imam has no ruling to make on the fasting of any other group.

He said their fasting could also be considered valid because they depended on the sighting of foreign countries.

“Officially, our fasting valid begins tomorrow, but we have no comment on the fasting of others.

A day earlier, a sectarian group announced the sighting of the moon in Wa of the Upper West region, which the National Hilal Committee discredited upon further examination.

Nonetheless, a sizeable number of Muslims in Ghana have begun their fasting on Monday, March 11, 2024.