Ghana Hajj 2024: Phase 1 of flight schedule out

 

Phase 1 of the flight schedule for Tamale and Accra pilgrims released by the Ghana Hajj Secretariate headed by Alhaji Farouk Hamza.

Alhaji Farouk Hamza
Executive Secretary
Ghana Hajj Secretariate 

Four flights will take off at the Tamale international airport and five flights at the Kotoka international airport in Accra.

Ghana Hajj 2024: first flight scheduled on May 28, 2024

By A.R. Gomda

Flight schedules for Hajj 2024 have been released by the Ghana Hajj Board. 

According to the Executive Secretary Haj Farouk Hamza the usual pattern of Tamale flights preceding Accra’s will be followed. 

The first flight of a total of nine from Ghana will  depart the Northern Regional capital on Tuesday, 28th May, 2024 en route to Madina, Saudi Arabia.

The second flight leaves Tamale on 29th May, 2024 and the third 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 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 Madina Saudi Arabia. 

Prospective pilgrims the Executive Secretary has said should contact the 42 accredited agents or the Ghana Hajj Board at the Hajj Village, Accra should they have concerns. 

Hajj Farouk Hamza has appealed to prospective pilgrims and their family members to cooperate with the Ghana Hajj Board officials to ensure successful operations.

Adequate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the comfort of  Ghanaian pilgrims in the Holy Land some of who have over the years endured the inconveniences of persons who illegally use non-Hajj visas to perform the pilgrimage. 

The provision of two meals a day, total medical care, comfortable hotel accommodation not forgetting transportation in Saudi Arabia are part of the package awaiting pilgrims the Executive Secretary has announced.  

The team of Islamic clerics will be available to give the necessary spiritual guidance to the pilgrims. 

There will be orientation programmes to educate prospective pilgrims about the Hajj as was done last year. 

For first time international travelers such orientations have proven valuable as they will have members of the Da’wah and medical teams imparting tidbits about the Hajj and how to keep healthy during the month-long spiritual exercise in Saudi Arabia. 

Haj Hamza Farouk

Executive Secretary

Hajj 2024: Closing of Umrah season; issuance of all Visas should be put on hold except Hajj Visas to control over crowding at Masha'ir

 

By Tanko Mohammed Rabiu

Everything has its beginning and the end as the saying goes, as things get to an end, so as any other thing begins to make up the circle of life until the end of time. 

With the principle of adherence to natural arrangement of life circle, the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced 15 of Shawwal which is equivalent to April 24, 2024 as the last day of this current Umrah Season to pave way for Hajj 2024.

It is a great news to especially stakeholders in the Hajj and Umrah organization to further help them prepare well for a stress free Hajj season. From the current arrangements for Umrah, any type of Visa like the Umrah Visa, Visiting Visa, tourist and transit Visa can be used to perform Umrah due to the unlimited quota for visiting and performing Umrah during its season.

The announcement of the April 24 as the last day of Umrah season should also end the issuance of  Umrah visiting, tourist and transit Visas to allow the smooth flow and arrangement of Hajj Visas to prospective Hajj pilgrims.

The usage of any other Visa rather than the Hajj Visa during Hajj Season is violating the quota system for participating countries and is also affecting Saudi Arabia's plans and programs for a limited Hajj and thus affects the crowd control systems due to influx of other none Hajj Visa holders.

None Hajj Visa holders makes living at Masha'ir' ( Mina, Arafah, Muzdalifa Jamarat) very difficult for Hajj Visa holders during the Hajj period where these 'illegal' Hajj seekers encroached the spaces at the tents including food water and social amenities meant for Hajj Visa holders. 

For instance, in 2023, almost all the participating countries in Mina had shortages of tents due to these intruders and quite a number of Hajj Visa holders lived outside their tents with so much discomfort. Many online portals reported these incidents and these are few of the headlines; Hajj 2023: shortage of tents, food mar first day of Hajj NAHCON blames organizers from www.premiumtimesng.com,  Hajj: Tent shortage hits pilgrims in Mina from www.dailytrust.com, We live like 'homeless people ' in Mina; Malaysian pilgrim cries out from www.hajjreporters.com.

To curtail and prevent these occurrences during the Hajj season, the issuance of Umrah, visiting, tourist and transit Visas should be put on hold immediately the Umrah season ends to prevent none Hajj Visa holders from entering the two Holy cities until Hajj season is over. These holders of None Hajj Visas pitch camp in nearby cities to Mecca many months and weeks awaiting the start of Hajj while others enter during the start of Hajj season together with Hajj pilgrims with their none Hajj Visas.

Hajj stakeholders especially Hajj missions across the world are much worried and concerned about the unplanned over crowding at Masha'ir' caused by intruders and are calling on the Saudi Arabia ministry of Hajj and Umrah to initiate the process of putting on hold the issuance of None Hajj Visas before and during Hajj Season.

END.