Ambassador Tijani (left) being presented with an award by the Housing Coordinators between Ghana and Saudi Arabia for successfully housing the Ghanaian pilgrims close to the Holy Mosque
GHANA’S AMBASSADOR to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, has lauded officials of the Ghana Hajj Board, for being proactive in the provision of better hospitality services for Ghanaian pilgrims.
According to the envoy, Ghanaian pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj, have so far been well-catered for in order to make their short stay comfortable, and added that “there is room for improvement though.”
Alhaji Habib Tijani pointed out that accommodation facilities have been secured for Ghanaian pilgrims close to the mosque of the Holy Prophet Muhammad so as to make activities of worship easier and less stressful for them.
He said Ghana was among countries like Iraq, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysia that secured accommodation facilities close to the Holy Mosque in Madinah, stressing that the Hajj Board deserved to be commended for that.
“The Ghana Government under the leadership of Sheikh IC Quaye, Chairman of the Hajj Board; Osumanu Alidu Manaf, Administrator; Hamza Farouk, Director of Finance and Alhaji Sumaila Ismail, Board Member, have provided better services for Ghanaian pilgrims,” he said.
The Ghana Ambassador to Saudi Arabia was speaking during a meeting with officials of the Hajj Board and the Coordinator for Housing between Saudi Arabia in Madinah at the Madinah International Airport.
Also present at the important meeting was Dr. Adam Umar Nanaye, the Mediator between the Ghana Hajj Board and the Coordination of Housing in Madinah.
Still praising the Hajj Board for a good job done, Alhaji Habib Tijani assured that his office and other officials, would work assiduously in order to ensure that Ghanaian pilgrims are comfortable throughout the process.
According to him, the Embassy of Ghana in Saudi Arabia and the Consulate of Ghana would work closely together with the Hajj Board to provide better hospitality services for Ghanaian pilgrims so they would enjoy their stay.
“We would wish that we get better services than what we have although this is considered as very good services. We will still expect more,” the Ghana Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who is noted for his hard work, indicated.
“We are hoping that what we are going to see in Makkah will be good. If it is not good we will do everything to make it better than what we are seeing here next year,” Alhaji Habib Tijani added, attracting applause from his audience.
Sounding very optimistic, the Ghana Ambassador to Saudi Arabia stated that he was hopeful that the number of Ghanaian pilgrims to the holy land would increase in subsequent years if the COVID-19 pandemic is completely eradicated.
Ghana, according to him, had over 20,000 prospective pilgrims struggling for 3,069 places, indicating that people, especially those that could not make the cut, would certainly be aggrieved looking at the situation.
“There was no way everybody could be in Hajj this year. We are praying that Allah should make it possible and eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic so that in subsequent years we will have full capacity and possibly more than the six thousand capacity we have been getting,” he said.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi