By Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai
This year’s pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims worldwide has proved to be one of the most difficult. Just like 1990 when over 1,300 lost their lives through a stampede in a tunnel while throwing stones at Satan that sad incident has occurred this year claiming the lives more than 700 pilgrims from various countries. Most of those who died come from Iran and other north and West African countries. Fortunately no Ghanaian pilgrim has been found among the dead pilgrims yet even though five of our pilgrims are said to be missing. Information reaching us indicates that all the notable figures performing the hajj this year are safe. These include the National Chief Imam Sheikh Dr Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party NPP) Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and some wealthy businessmen and women who are all safe.
However to be sure that every Ghanaian is truly safe and Characteristic of the Chairman of the Pilgrims Affairs of Ghana, Hon.Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim, he has established a search team to help search and locate Ghanaian pilgrims who got missing or involved in any accident after the stampede at Jamarat on Thursday. They will roam from place to place including hospitals and mortuaries.
In the work that the team has carried out so far information available indicates that no Ghanaian has been captured as being dead.
One of the men Alhaji Giwa who made observation on the situation said though no death has been recorded among Ghanaians this year's hajj has been one the toughest in a long time explaining that the weather had been very hash on the pilgrims.. Quite apart from this the number of pilgrims who died in the two disasters was very high.
Alhaji Mohammed Amin Lamptey Deputy Publicly Coordinator of the Ghana Hajj Committee as usual came out to enlighten the world about ongoing events during the pilgrimage period. He said On the fourth day(Friday) at Mina , exactly a day after the stampede in Mina, the situation at Jamarat and every street leading to the jamarat facility was calm and in order.
“I got there in the evening at exactly 7 pm and within 15 minutes I was able to conclude with my duty on the three pillars”. He said
He reflected over the heavy loss of life in Mina and prayed that May Allah grant all the lost souls the highest places in jannat and those who were spared a blessed hajj and to you all we say Alhamdu Lilaahi Rabil Alameena.
One of The major events that was executed at Ghana's camp in Mina was the evacuation of Ghanaian pilgrims to Makkah after this year’s 2015 Hajj has officially come to an end after the throwing of stone at Jamarat this dawn.
The pilgrims were taken care of very well regarding accommodation and feeding. According an account from some of the pilgrims after taking their breakfast a couple of hours later the Ghanaian Pilgrims are served with their favorite food such as jollof rice and other popular dishes for lunch while in Mina.
We in Ghana especially who have our family embers in Saudi performing the hajj are full of hope that the pilgrims will conclude their rituals in Mecca by going round the holly kaaba for the last time before explaining back home.
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