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| Association blames Hajj Board for pilgrims’ plight |
12/23/2006 |
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The Ghana Hajj Agents Association has blamed the National Hajj Board for failing to provide an aircraft to convey hundreds of pilgrims to Mecca, which has left them stranded for weeks at the Kotoka Airport in Accra.
The Vice Chiaiman of the Ghana Hajj Agents Association, Alhaji Alhassan Mahama (Star) told Joy News the Association had long completed its obligation to the pilgrims, including the acquisition of visas and other traveling doducments.
“Truely documentation is done, all passports are set with visas so what is left is an aircraft. We as agents are actually carrying the weight. People think the monies are with us. It is not true. We have paid all monies to Hajj Council. They are to provide the aircraft.”
Star said time was running out and it would be disasterous if the pilgrims missed the journey to Mecca by close of day Saturday.
The stranded pilgrims on Friday took a swipe at Muslim Ministers of State and other officials in government and accused them of not caring enough about their plight, threatening to embark on a demonstration to protest what they termed the ineffectiveness of the Hajj Board.
Later on Friday, the Chairman of the National Hajj Board, Sheikh Ibrahim in an interview with Joy News explained that the delay was due to a technical fault with the aircraft which was to convey the pilgrims.
He gave the assurance that the pilgrims would leave for Mecca by mid-day Saturday.
However Joy News correspondents at the Airport said at midday, the pilgrims were still stranded and there was no sign of the promised aircraft.
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