Nkawie (Ash), Oct 24, GNA - Alhaji Yakubu Ziblim, the Atwima-Nwabiagya District Co-ordinating Director, has called for a better organization of this year's Hajj.
He expressed regret that the organization of the pilgrimage over the years had been fraught with irregularities and that last year saw pilgrims spending days under very difficult conditions at the El-Wak stadium.
''This is unfortunate but also unacceptable," Alhaji told the GNA in an interview.
Alhaji Ziblim said the organization of last year's hajj was so bad that the government had to spend a lot of money to lift the pilgrims from Saudi Arabia back to Ghana.
He described the Malaysian Hajj programme as very well organized. Pilgrims go through an intensive programme of sensitisation to the extent that even a miniature 'Kaaba' is built and the prospective pilgrims are shown how to go round it.
Malaysian pilgrims undergo a rigorous medical examination at the end of which they are given record cards of green and red to indicate those whose medical conditions were stable or unstable. To ease congestion at the airport, the pilgrims have their luggage weighed and checked at a place outside the precincts of the departure lounge.
Alhaji Ziblim said before the Malaysian pilgrims leave for the holy cities they are told in advance in which hotels they would stay and therefore know exactly where to go.
While in Mecca, he said, the Malaysians have a medical team made up of their own doctors and nurses.
