The first batch of 433 Ghanaian pilgrims is scheduled to depart from Tamale to Saudi Arabia on Friday, June 9, to perform this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
The pilgrims will be transported by Flynas as part of a series of six flights expected to airlift more than 2,000 Ghanaian Muslims from Tamale by June 15.
Get more exclusive breaking news updates on our WhatsApp channel .
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a compulsory religious obligation that every physically and financially capable Muslim is expected to undertake at least once in a lifetime.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, a member of the Hajj Board’s communications team, Alhaji Salim Bamba, said all preparations had been completed to ensure a smooth and successful pilgrimage.
He said an advance team of the Ghana Hajj Board had put the necessary arrangements in place to guarantee the safety and welfare of Ghanaian pilgrims throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia.
According to Alhaji Bamba, the Board’s medical team will establish clinics at all hotels accommodating Ghanaian pilgrims to provide healthcare services and respond to any medical emergencies.
He added that accommodation in Madinah, Makkah, Mina and Arafat had been carefully selected to minimise travel distances and improve the comfort of pilgrims during the pilgrimage.
Alhaji Bamba also disclosed that members of the Ghana Hajj Board’s Education (Da’wa) Committee would remain in Saudi Arabia to provide religious guidance and education to pilgrims throughout the Hajj period.
Meanwhile, the first Hajj flight from Kotoka International Airport in Accra is scheduled to depart on June 17.
The Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda, is expected to be in Tamale to bid farewell to the first group of pilgrims before their departure.
