Kofi Agyepong
20 November 2008
The organization of the 2008 Hajj pilgrimage is the best so far within the last decade. As at yesterday, 520 people out of about 2000 Ghanaian pilgrims had arrived safely in Mecca.
The Chairman of the Interim Hajj Management Committee (IHMC), Alhaji Lumuna Mohamed Muniru, who disclosed this to the ADM yesterday said, "the first flight took off at exactly 7am and the second one at 11pm."
The Interim Hajj Committee, he said, has instituted measures to ensure a problem free pilgrimage, which are unique in the history of pilgrimage in the country.
He said pilgrims would not go through the difficulties they endured in the past.
"We have a reliable airline like Egypt airline and we are in constant touch with them to ensure that this year's Hajj is the best ever. In past 20 years we have not seen this arrangement," he said.
To make sure that the airport is not crowded as happened in the past, Alhaji Muniru said, a reception centre has been created for the pilgrims to stay and be checked before joining the plane.
"The place is beautiful. We have set the place up in a manner that they don't go through difficulties...It has been orderly," he said.
At the airport, ADM saw doctors and nurses going through the boarding formalities.
This, the Chairman explained, is one of the measures the Committee has instituted to ensure that the health needs of the pilgrims are catered for.
"The first batch of doctors is already there, we are taking these doctors to complement their efforts. We want to give the pilgrims the best, so that they can pray for a peaceful Ghana and elections," he said.
Alhaji Lumuna Mohamed Muniru said the Committee wants to prove that Ghanaians have the managerial and organizational skills if encouraged and supported.
"We wanted a media black out...we wanted the media to know all these when we have finally lifted the last batch, but some of you were even here to see the airoplane in the air," he said.
Many of the pilgrims can still be seen gathered at KawuKudi in Nima as happened in the past.
This, the Chairman attributed to past experiences which have made some of the pilgrims skeptical about the arrangements for their departure.
"Because of the past experience, they have all come, we wanted those whose flight are ready to be at the Kawukudi reception area for only an hour before they are taking to the airport," he said.
He added, "I can proudly say this year we have managed the crowd."
In the past, most pilgrims were stranded in Accra because of failed flights, resulting in loss of money property and even deaths due to harsh conditions.
This new arrangement is being implemented by the establishment of the Hajj Operations Committee made up of the IHMC, GACL, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Egypt Air, Ghana Air Force and other stakeholders.
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