The National Hilal Committee (NHC) on Thursday announced that the first day for sighting the moon for this year’s Muslim fasting is Monday July 8, which is the 29th day of the Ramadan month.

“If not, Tuesday becomes the 30th day of the ‘Shabban’ Ramadan month, which would be the 10th of July 2013...the first day of fasting.”

The announcement was made on behalf of Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharabutu, National Chief Imam, in a communiqué issued at the end of the 19th Annual National Ramadan conference held in Cape Coast.

A committee made up of Chief Imams, National Council of Zongo Chiefs, Islamic religious leaders from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission and Islamic scholars are mandated to sight the moon for the Ramadan.

The committee is a body set up by Sheikh Sharabutu.

At a media conference in Accra on Thursday, Alhaji Awaisu Bio, Executive Secretary of Sheikh Sharabutu said the Ramadan conference set up an 11- member committee to communicate the sighting of the moon.