Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
6 November 2009
Vice President Mr. John Dramani Mahama has said that plans are afoot by the government to freely airlift 400 poor Muslim pilgrims nationwide to Mecca this year.
He said, "the government is making allowances to airlift 400 pilgrims who cannot afford their fairs to Mecca in all the ten regions of the country."
Mr. Dramani Mahama speaking at the inauguration of a modern Hajj Village in Accra for pilgrims embarking on the 2009 Hajj, said, "Hajj is the 5th pillar of Islam which the Holy Quran enjoins all Muslims to embark at least one in your life time. Muslims like many other tax paying citizens must be treated with dignity and respect."
He said the Hajj Village which has been created for this years' Hajj would be created every year to facilitate the easy movement of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.
For this reason the vice president said the difficulties that Muslims in Ghana go through before they are finally able to go to Mecca would be a thing of the past.
The Hajj Village comprises among others toilets, bath rooms, air conditioned tents for both males and females, an office for the National Hajj Council and an Immigration Office, clinic and an open canteen.
The tents were provided by Creator Digital Ghana Limited, temporary structure providers while Zoomlion, the leaders in waste management would ensure the cleanliness of the Hajj Village.
The creation of the village is expected to end the perennial accommodation problems Hajj pilgrims' face including poor arrangements, general mismanagement, financial malfeasance and insanitary conditions.
From 10-26 November a total of 2600 pilgrims are expected to be airlifted from Ghana to make this years' Hajj.
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I think we heard that the country is brook and JAK govt left the economy empty, how come we can afford to ofer free religion services to some group of people? Going to Mecca is purely a private affairs and should not involve the govt. This is insane and must be stopped, Mahama