Alhaji Farouk Hamza (left) during a discussion with Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah
The leader of the Ghana Hajj Board (GHB) delegation which attended the recent Hajj 2023 Conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has heaped praises on the Saudi authorities for a wonderful reception and programme.
Alhaji Farouk Hamza, in a post-conference interview with a section of the media said, “we were accorded a warm reception by our hosts who left us in no doubt about their preparedness for the 2023 chapter of the annual pilgrimage. The reception and hospitality from our hosts was second to none, proving that indeed they are fully dedicated to the service of guests of Allah.”
The Ghanaian delegation was hosted at the magnificent Super Dome Conference Centre in Jeddah.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the highpoint of the programme which took place on January 9, 2023, was preceded by hospitality engagements at the Crown Plaza-Al Salam in Jeddah followed by an Umrah trip and a welcome dinner at the Park Hyatt Hotel for the delegation.
The signing of the MOU was followed by a conference, an exhibition and another meeting, including a trip to Madina.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, according to him, deserve special mention for their wonderful and successful pre-Hajj conference and expo, adding “we were updated about novelties in the Hajj which are intended to reduce hiccups in the performance of the religious exercise by pilgrims from across the world.”
Continuing, he said that “we cannot ignore the fantastic role played by the Saudi Embassy in Ghana, for their support and cooperation which made it all possible for us to attend the conference and to return enriched with knowledge about how to prepare sufficiently for the approaching Hajj.”
Technology is being brought to bear upon the Hajj, which has over the years witnessed tremendous improvements, the leader of the delegation told DAILY GUIDE. He pointed for instance at the introduction of total online services for all Hajj processes, a novelty which would go a long way in reducing the stress associated with previous exercises.
By A.R. Gomda