Hajj 2019 To Be The Best Among The Best

The Chairman of the Pilgrimage Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) Sheikh I. C. Quaye has expressed their commitment to making the 2019 hajj service the best ever.

The PAOG Boss also disclosed that his outfit in collaboration with the Hajj Agents Association will put measures in place to ensure this year’s hajj is stress free and memorable. 

Sheikh I. C. Quaye made the disclosure during the occasion of a press conference to announce the 2019 hajj package.

The Pilgrimage Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) in collaboration with the Hajj Agents Association has agreed to peg the 2019 hajj pilgrimage fare at GHC 19,500.

Ghana according to the Hajj Board boss has been allotted six thousand slots for this year’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Announcing the fare in Accra on Wednesday evening, the PAOG chairman, Sheikh I.C Quaye urged would be pilgrims to hasten and pay their fares with their respective hajj agents.

“Pilgrims can now start paying their hajj fares to avoid last minute rush “he noted.

He added that the fare should have been more than the agreed fare but it’s due to government’s intervention hence arriving on the Ghc 19500, equivalent to USD 3500.

Sheikh I. C Quaye promised that this year’s hajj service shall be among the best of the best from the PAOG. 

He also warned would be pilgrims to be careful not to deal with road side agents who would promise them protocol slots. “It’s only the government than can guarantee pilgrims protocol slots”.

On his part, the chairman for the Hajj Agents Association, Alhaji Issah Umar urged pilgrims to contact their respective hajj agents to start paying their fares.

Alhaji Issah Umar also asked pilgrims to make sure they pay their hajj fares within the stipulated two months and two weeks agreed upon by both the Hajj Board and the Agents Association. 

He cautioned that there wouldn’t be any chance again if the deadline elapsed for any pilgrim to pay his money.

Meanwhile a member of the Hajj Agents Association who spoke on condition of anonymity welcomed the hajj fare but raised concern on the timing of the announcement and deadline given. 

He was of the view that the two months and two weeks given for would be pilgrims to settle their fares is not enough and that it would put burden on the pilgrims. 

He therefore appealed for a little extension of time from the Pilgrimage Affairs Office of Ghana, beyond the agreed deadline. 

The deadline agreed on for all would be pilgrims to pay their fares is April 30 2019.

The Press conference was preceded by a closed door meeting between the Hajj Board and the Hajj Agents Association of Ghana. 

By: Mohammed Saani Ibrahim