Video: Visiting Accra’s New Mosque

Accra will soon have a new mosque in the Kanda area of Accra. A friend is visiting, and we thought it would be a fun adventure to see the mosque and try to get in. This is what happened.

Visiting Ghana’s National Mosque

The new mosque is financed by the government of Turkey, and replaces Accra’s old Central Mosque, which was razed in 1986[1]. That old mosque was part of the massive Makola open air market, which five years earlier had been razed [2] by Rawling’s and his AFRC (Armed Forces Revolutionary Council) in 1979.

The Ghana National Mosque, as it is known, will be over 100 ft. high and have a main dome supported by half domes, and half domes supported by quarter domes. Even under construction, one can see it will be a handsome structure.

Construction of a National Mosque has been a priority for most of Ghana’s previous presidents:

• 1995 - President Rawlings allocates land for new Central Mosque.

• 2006 - President Kufuor lays foundation stone. The Mosque was then a 4 million dollar project with hopes of being funded through a national effort (rejecting all foreign financial assistance, even an offer from Saudi Arabian of 18 billion old Ghana Cedis, roughly $1.8 million).

• 2008 - Project was abandoned while Atta Mills was president.

• 2013 – Construction begins under President Mahama’s Better Ghana Agenda, which seeks to create a harmonious relationship between Christians and Muslims. Funding for the 10 million euro project comes from the Turkish government and The Hudai Foundation (a Turkish philanthropic organization).

The mosque is expected to be open by the time Ramadan starts, June 18, 2015.

 

References:

[1] “Central Mosque Goes Down At Last”, Daily Graphic, 20/10/1986.

[2] http://www.modernghana.com/news/538963/1/rawlings-destroys-makola.html