The National Hajj Task Force has apologised to Ghanaian pilgrims who were unable to participate in this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca, citing circumstances beyond its control. Speaking on behalf of the Task Force, Head of Corporate Affairs Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini acknowledged the difficulties some pilgrims faced, particularly those affected by visa issues. He assured the public that these challenges will be addressed in future Hajj planning.
“Those pilgrims who paid but were not able to go and had visa problems, we will deal with them, so we can take them along, as well as those on the protocol side. I need to prefix that with an apology to our pilgrims who, in one way or another, have not been able to fly. I want to apologise to them and seek their forgiveness for our inability to carry them now,” he said.
The Task Force also confirmed the death of two Ghanaian pilgrims in Mecca during the 2025 Hajj. About 6,000 Ghanaian pilgrims made the journey to Saudi Arabia this year. In addition to the fatalities, five individuals were sent back to Ghana due to issues related to their travel documents. Alhaji Fuseini clarified the nature of their return, distancing the situation from criminal implications.
“Some said they were deported, but we choose to use the word ‘repatriated.’ Deportation connotes some criminality, but these people who have returned have not committed any crime. It was an error in the issuance of their visa,” he explained. “Some attempts to realign the visas resulted in some unfortunate mistakes where their visas were withdrawn. I can assure you that we are making every effort to get them to go back,” he added.
By: Sammi Wiafe
