Ben Abdallah Banda
The Hajj Village in Accra was a beehive of activities yesterday as hordes of prospective pilgrims converged at the location, to listen to resource persons as they walked them through the features of the annual pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda and the Executive Secretary Alhaji Farouk Hamza, took turns to educate the prospective pilgrims about the pilgrimage as a way of priming them for the religious exercise.
The first-time international travelers found the orientation invaluable especially as it afforded them a chance of learning about the dos and don’ts of keeping healthy, a segment of the programme which was handled by Dr. Zakaria Seidu, head of the medical team.
He told them about the importance of keeping fit to be able to undertake the rituals entailed in the pilgrimage, something which he said was physically demanding.
With the excessive temperature of the Kingdom at this time of the year, he encouraged his audience to use footwear which would not inflict blisters and other injuries on them.
He also advised women to be aware of the stress involved in the performance of the Hajj so they are adequately prepared. “While we cannot tell pregnant women not to perform the Hajj, suffice it to tell women that some have lost their pregnancies as a result of the stress involved in the performance of the Hajj. Testing for pregnancy before embarking upon the Hajj is advised,” he said.
The Executive Secretary had earlier told the prospective pilgrims about the challenges posed by those who abuse their visa statuses.
“Food and other logistics are prepared for a specified number of persons, but when those who are not supposed to be within the fold of the Ghana Hajj Board infiltrate, they create shortages and related challenges,” he said.
He added that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure the welfare of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
The Chairman took the prospective pilgrims through some of the spots of the pilgrimage and how they should conduct themselves.
The Accra leg of the orientation drew curtains of a countrywide tour by the Ghana Hajj Board to educate prospective pilgrims about the annual pilgrimage.
The first batch of pilgrims depart the Tamale International Airport on May 28, 2024 and with a total of four flights earmarked for that part of the country, the last one will be on May 31, 2024.
The Accra flights, of which there are five, will commence on June 2, and end on June 6, 2024.
Members of the Hajj Agents Association were also present at the programme.
In a related development, Alhaji Kamal-Deen, Ghana’s Consul-General in Saudi Arabia, has posted on his facebook wall saying, “Insha Allah, all is set for Hajj 2024 at the Holy sites in Mina and Arafat. I personally went with our accredited service providers to inspect both places and it was amazing. However, those with tourist and visiting visas have no space at those sites.”
By A.R. Gomda