Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has been praised for his role in ensuring this year’s Hajj Pilgrimage took place.
An immense role without which the annual travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would have stalled after it was cancelled two years during Covid-19.
Paying tribute to the Vice President, Administrator of the Ghana Hajj Board Haj Manaf paid tributes to Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare but for whose roles the just ended religious exercise would not have taken place.
According to the Administrator who was speaking on radio universe he said, this year’s Hajj announcement came at a short notice but because of the support they received from the Vice President and Chief of Staff, they were able successfully organize the pilgrimage.
“We were unable to tell whether it was going to come on or not considering the closeness of the date for the religious exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he stressed.
Admitting some shortcoming on their part, he said the board did their best and looking at the time they had at hand.
He recounted that even though some persons could not embark on the pilgrimage after paying for the packages, they are issues that would be addressed.
Addressing issues about the cost of the pilgrimage, Mr. Manaf said, that is entirely out of their hands as they were mostly as a result of cost of services rendered by providers,
“Pilgrims are supposed to pay for the air fare, transportation costs for movement from one location to another, including food and others. These witnessed astronomical increase during the last Hajj, hence the high cost of the package this year,” he explained.
Some of the challenges encountered during the last Hajj, he said, were as a result of novelties such as the mandatory possession of COVID-19 vaccination cards. He added that in spite of the agreement with persons who paid two years ago that they would not have to pay extra money when the next Hajj is due, developments have necessitated the variation of the deal.
source: theGhanaianvoice.com
