Gov't to subsidize fares of 2018 Hajj Pilgrims

Government is set to absolve more than 24 million Ghana Cedis fares for the 2018 would-be Hajj pilgrims.

Chairman of the Hajj Board, Shiekh I.C Quaye, affirmed the news by the Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia to maintain last year's Hajj fare, describing government as a listening one. 

Sheikh IC Quaye who was speaking at the official launch of the 2018 Hajj season in Accra, announced that the fare for this year’s 2018 Hajj pilgrimage is GHC15, 000, an equivalent of $3,450 dollars.

He said the actual fare is supposed to be GH¢19,500 but government has absorbed GH¢4,500 of the cost to enable more pilgrims to perform the Hajj.

According to him, the board will accept a direct in full payment into the Hajj Account with Unibank.

Sheikh IC Quaye said late payment of the Hajj package will not be accepted because it causes delays and makes planning very difficult.

According to him, late payment affects the Hajj operations with grave consequences and therefore the deadline for payment is June 30, 2018, adding that, there shall be no extension of the date whatsoever.

“Pilgrims who pay up before the deadline would be airlifted to Mecca, irrespective of whether our quota has been attained or not,” he said.

He said Hajj fares keep rising due to the introduction of new policies by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which will significantly affect Hajj transactions and services.

According to Sheikh IC Quaye, the key amongst these new policies, is the introduction of five per cent VAT on goods and services, due to the diversification of the Saudi economy and its consequential implications.

He said pilgrims performing the Hajj more than once shall pay a penalty of GHC3,000, chargeable before Visa acquisition.

The rational according to Saudi authorities he said, is to prevent multiple performance of Hajj. 

He said there is also an increase in social amenities as well as accommodation, transport, flight fares, catering and general service fees, but with the reduction of taxes and interventions, Ghanaian pilgrims are paying the lowest fare.

Sheikh IC Quaye said due to a new immigration policy by the Saudi Kingdom, pilgrims would undergo finger-print data collection in Ghana before departing.

He said medical teams charged with the responsibility to manage programmes which will ensure the effective and efficient management of the health needs of pilgrims both in Ghana and in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia shall kick start its activities with a health screening exercise.

He further stated that, this year, the welfare team will be categorized into three units, which includes the luggage handlers, meet and assist and that of security.

“We therefore call on would be pilgrims to, as a matter of urgency, begin payments now without delay for there shall be no extensions at all.

He said this is important to the Board as the timelines provided by the Saudi Authorities for the payments of Hajj services are so tight and that failure to conform could a cost to the Hajj board.

Sheikh IC Quaye advised the pilgrims to start practising the processes and rituals of the Hajj and Umrah, be physically fit and be each other’s keeper throughout their stay in Mecca.

He encouraged the pilgrims to desist from travelling with prohibited items, as well as human trafficking in particular, which attracts harsh sentence if caught.

The Hajj board, under the chairmanship of Sheik I.C Quaye, pledged that they will do everything possible to facilitate a memorable 2018 Hajj.

GNA
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