The Chairman of the Hajj Board, Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim has unreservedly apologized to would-be Hajj pilgrims for the board’s inability to airlift them to Saudi Arabia for the annual religious event.
He explained that they were unable to honour their promise to Ghanaians who gathered at the Hajj village in Accra “due to circumstances beyond the control of the Hajj Committee”.
Addressing unsuccessful pilgrims to Mecca on Saturday, Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim said they were failed by the Saudi government.
He said “his office was confronted with the unexpected situation of overpayments which came about as a result of an assurance he received from the Saudi Arabia Minister of Hajj during Hajj conference this year for an additional thousand(1000) slots to the original quota to make it 6,424.
“The PAOG extended July 15 deadline to July 23 for payments because of the assurance of increase in quota but unfortunately the Saudi Arabia Government through the Minister of Hajj failed to live-up to their promise and eventually created a huge backlogged of would-be Pilgrims who were denied Visa for this year’s hajj,” the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana said in a statement.
The Hajj Board Chairman however appealed to those who want refund of their monies to be patience with him as he promised to pay them upon his return from Saudi Arabia after Hajj Pilgrimage in October.
Some stranded Muslim pilgrims at the Hajj Village had on Friday accused the Hajj Board of preferential treatment in the selection of people to enplane to Mecca.
But the statement said, “The people in attendance understood the Chairman very well and also reciprocated his presentation with the glorification of God…Allahu Akbar…”
Meanwhile, it was announced that the remaining Ghanaian would-be pilgrims to make Ghana’s total quota would be airlifted on Sunday evening.
The 2016 Hajj pilgrimage is expected to begin on September 10 and ends on September 16.
Ghana’s return flights scheduled to begin from September 22, and the last flight is October 2, respectively. The first 4 flights are expected to arrive at the Tamale International Airport from September 22-25 respectively.
Story by Isaac Essel |3news.com | Ghana
