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The Ghana Hajj Board has promised to return the money paid by pilgrims who were unable to travel to Mecca to complete the hajj this year.
Some Ghanaians who paid to travel to Mecca were unable to do so, according to the Board, because of the restrictions the Saudi Arabian authorities placed on pilgrims.Abdul Rahman Gomda, the communications director for the Hajj Board, said in an interview with Citi FM in Accra that the board is cognizant of the frustration of many of the pilgrims who have been left disappointed at the hajj village because they anticipated to have left the country for the 2022 hajj, but it is unable to do enough for them due to the limit placed on the multitude of Ghanaian pilgrims Saudi Authorities will permit into the country.
“Every country is given a quota. Two years ago we had 6,000 pilgrims who were scheduled to travel. Unfortunately, Covid came. We thought it was going to be possible, but that was not possible. The Saudi authorities have a special ministry for Hajj, and they decided that Ghana should be given a quota of 3,069. Under the circumstances, not everybody will be able to go, and as a result of which you are seeing these agitations and discontentment,” he said.
They claimed that the board is making efforts to ensure that the disgruntled pilgrims have their money returned as soon as possible.
Some pilgrims claim that the Hajj Board has confiscated all of their passports, while others claim that their identities have been purposefully omitted off the final list of travelers.
They claimed that regardless of having proof of their documentation, the 2019 batch has not yet been airlifted despite the Hajj Board’s vow to give them priority.
They have vowed to receive their money back despite having lowered chances.
“They said they cannot find my passport; I am broken, I don’t want to cry but it’s not easy. We were told those who paid in 2019 are going to be among the first passengers but that did not happen.”
