The Chairman of the Hajj Board, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, has revealed that the GHS12million debt left behind by the previous Hajj Board under the Mahama government has been cleared by New Patriotic Party administration.He disclosed this at a press conference yesterday at Hajj Village, Airport.The Sheikh therefore assured all pilgrims traveling to Mecca for the 2018 Hajj that there is no cause for alarm and that all paid-up pilgrims would be booked for the trip.
According to the Sheikh, no one who has fulfilled his obligations would be left behind as arrangements have been made to transport all pilgrims to the holy land. He disclosed that the quota allotted to Ghana by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is 5,500 pilgrims.
He explained that this year’s arrangement, in his view, is one of the best, explaining that for the first time in the history of Hajj pilgrimage, aircrafts had come on time to wait for pilgrims to be transported to Mecca.
In this year’s Hajj, Tamale Airport has ten (10) flights while Accra has a total of 12 flights. According to Sheikh I.C. Quaye, Tamale has lifted 2,640 pilgrims, whilst Accra has lifted 3,096 pilgrims.
He reiterated that the first of the two last flights left in the morning of Wednesday, August 15 and the last flight took off at 5pm on same day, disputing claims that the Board was not transparent in their dealings with pilgrims.
According to Sheikh I.C. Quaye, comprehensive reports of last year’s pilgrimage and this year’s Hajj has been presented to the Vice President and the appointing authority. He reiterated that, in the event of any unforeseen circumstances, a pilgrim would have his money refunded, if he was unable to partake in the Hajj.
He mentioned that government had put up strong security detail in the camp of Mina in Saudi Arabia to avert the invasion of the Ghana camp, as it occurred last during last year’s pilgrimage.
He added that President Nana Akufo-Addo personally ensured that 432 pilgrims who were left behind in 2016 by the previous board were added to this year’s pilgrimage.
