Around 4000 Ghanaians are expected to participate in this year's Hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
According to the Ghana Hajj Board, all prospective pilgrims are required to pay GHC75, 000.00, the same amount as last year.
In 2023, approximately 1.8 million Muslims from around the world performed Hajj, while in Ghana, about 6000 Muslims performed Hajj in 2023, compared to an expected 4000 this year.
Due to an increase in prices, many Muslims in Ghana are finding it increasingly difficult to afford the pilgrimage.
Alhaji Bashiru Danwana, the Manager of Danwana Hajj Agency in the Upper West Region, mentioned that the number of bookings for Hajj has significantly reduced. He attributed this situation to the high cost of Hajj.
“This year’s Hajj is not well. It was my first, second and third years that I recorded a few bookings. Apart from that, it is this year again that I have seen lower numbers. I thought it was only me, but my checks across the country revealed that it is the same across the country. The only reason is that the price is too high for many people.”
He stated that Hajj agents across the country were thinking that the government would reduce the price to allow a lot of people to be able to perform Hajj.
He alleged that people are passing through illegal ways to book for Hajj due to the high cost.
“People are using illegal means to use the same GHC75, 000.00 to book for two people to perform Hajj. If this illegality is there, how many people will come to an accredited agent to book for Hajj,” he queried.
Meanwhile, The Ghana Hajj Board has announced the flight schedules for the Hajj pilgrimage in 2024.
Executive Secretary Haj Farouk Hamza stated in a statement issued on Friday, April 26, that the usual sequence of Tamale flights preceding Accra's will be maintained.
“The first flight of a total of nine from Ghana will depart the Northern Regional capital on Tuesday, 28th May 2024 en route to Medina, Saudi Arabia.
"The second flight leaves Tamale on 29th May 2024 and the third on 30th May 2024. The last flight from Tamale is scheduled to depart on Friday 31st May 2024.”
“The Accra flights commence on Sunday, 2nd June 2024 followed by the second on Monday 3rd June 2024 and the third Tuesday 4th June 2024.
"The fourth flight leaves Accra on Wednesday 5th June 2024 to be followed by the fifth one on Thursday 6th June 2024 all en route to Medina Saudi Arabia,” an excerpt of the statement said.
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