COMMENDATIONS TO HAJJ BOARD ON FAIR TREATMENT TO HAJJ REPORTERS DURING 2019 HAJJ SEASON AND THE WAYFORWARD

 Communication plays vital role in any aspect of human endeavours and contributes immensely in the socio-economic development in our communities. The pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana and the Ghana Hajj board as a religious institution responsible in organising Hajj operations for all Hajj season, relys on good communication channels to succeed its mandates and core values. Dealing with a huge Mulsim population in Ghana and dealing with about 6,000 prospective pilgrims every year, enough information is needed to disseminate down to every intending pilgrim to be abreast with single information about the preparations towards the Hajj season.


 The main stream media since the beginning of Hajj operations in Ghana have contributed hugely to the success of Hajj operations till date though the media faced certain lapses in discharge of their duties. Most media houses through their reporters gets the opportunity to report on Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia through the efforts of the Ghana Hajj board free of charge as part of strengthening their public relations and communications. During Hajj 2019 season, selected journalists including TV3 Hajj reporter, Tamale based Sagani TV Hajj reporter, UTV reporter, Obonu FM female reporter and other reporters were given the opportunity to report on the Hajj in Saudi Arabia including operations of the pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana in Ghana.

 Individual Hajj reporter who took part in 2019 Hajj season in Saudi Arabia performed well in shaping the discourse of Hajj operations combining all resources available. Talking of resources and logistics to the journalists, the Hajj board has done it's best by providing decent working atmosphere for all journalists like decent accommodation in Saudi Arabia, good meals, internet facilities, allowances, transportation, access to information and good collaboration between the media and the Hajj agents.

 As a result of these incentives, accurate and well balanced information was well communicated in all the media outlets represented during the Hajj as well as other "watch dogs" media organizations who publish stories done by journalists covering the Hajj. There was a good relationship between members of the Hajj board and the pilgrim Affiars Office of Ghana at all times both in Ghana and Saudi Arabia operations. Auxiliary arms of the pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana like the Security Assistance Team ( SAT), Accomodation committee, Finance department, welfare committee and food and refreshment committee also collaborated well with the media covering the Hajj.

 All the 2019 Hajj reporters from Ghana are therefore grateful to the Hajj board for giving them the opportunity to cover the Hajj and the fair treatment they received from the Hajj board but urging the Hajj board to improve more in order to strengthen the relationship with the media as far as Hajj coverage is concern.

 Second part of this story will focus on recommendations to the pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana in dealing with the journalists in the main media.

END. Tanko Mohammed Rabiu/Hajjcommunications