Ghana would comply with new Hajj law - Committee Chairman

Alhaji Alhassan Benne, Chairman of the National Hajj Committee (NHC) has disclosed that the Committee and its stakeholder Hajj Agents would comply with the new law introduced by the authorities of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi authorities have introduce and implemented a law which bans intended female pilgrims who are less than 45 years of age to enter the country without being accompanied by a relative, spouse or guardian.

He said the NHC and its stakeholders and, for that matter, Ghana as a country with law-abiding citizens would comply with laws of other countries as required by international diplomatic relations, adding “Ghana would not breach any international regulations.”

"If we go against the laws of Saudi Arabia, our pilgrims would be deported back to Ghana just like it happens to Nigeria.”

Alhaji Benne made these remarks when he addresses a press conference at the newly constructed Hajj Village near the Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Thursday.

He said the law had affected Nigeria where about 1000 of its intended female pilgrims were deported home for not meeting the conditions required by the new law.

Alhaji Benne said the NHC in its records had 5,700 pilgrims who had made payments through their agents and some who had paid direct to the Committee for this year's Hajj.

He said the NHC had signed an agreement with Egypt Air to airlift the Ghanaian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on 18 return flights, with each flight airlifting 317 pilgrims and that 16 flight had so far left the shores of Ghana to Saudi Arabia conveying 5,072 potential pilgrims.

He said the new law was passed when Ghana had already dispatched14 flights with 4,438 pilgrims, and that the law took effect when the 15th flight was ready to fly to Saudi Arabia.

Alhaji Benne said the two remaining flights were ready to airlift the last batch of pilgrims Thursday evening and Friday afternoon to Madina.

He also expressed regrets that some pilgrims paid late to their agents and the committee, saying that, “Those who paid late to the committee and their agents would get their refund as soon as possible; the deadline for the payment was 31st August, any payment after August 31 will be refunded if those concerned are not able to make it.”

Alhaji Benne said three female Ghanaian pilgrims were deported from Saudi Arabia three days ago for possessing fake visas and that agents of the suspects were identified and a three-member investigation team had been set up by the Committee to investigate the issue.

In an interview with the GNA, Alhaji Alhassan Mahama Star, Chairman of the Hajj Agents Association said only 10 per cent of female pilgrims would be affected by the new Saudi law, adding, “Our Association would take this into consideration in the subsequent years.”

He noted that Ghana was rated among the most respectful diplomatic countries in Africa and the world, adding that, “Ghana’s strictness on the observance of international diplomatic laws had earned the country its good image.”

According to an official timetable obtained by GNA, Hajj is expected to fall between October 24 and 29. Hijri dates for 1433H (2012) Hajj and Umrah seasons are as follows:

The First day of arrival in the Kingdom for pilgrims is September 27, whilst the last date for arrival of pilgrims in the Kingdom by air at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, or at the Prince Muhammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Madina, is October 20.

The Last date for pilgrims to travel from Jeddah to Madina by bus is October 11 and last date for pilgrims to travel from Jeddah to Madina by air is October 18, while the last date for pilgrims to travel from Madina to Makkah by bus (before Hajj) is October 21.

The last date for pilgrims to travel from Madinah to Jeddah by air (before Hajj) is October 22, with the final date for departure (return trip) being November 29.

The Hajj village was relocated to the Kotoka International Airport area following the Allied Air Cargo Boeing 727-200 crash at the original Village near the Elwalk Sports Stadium.