Ghana pilgrims happy to travel from Tamale to Mecca

Some of the would-be pilgrims, who will travel from Tamale to Mecca for this year’s pilgrimage, have expressed joy at the new arrangement saying it has made the trip very comfortable for them.

Mohamadu Mumuni, Iman from Sagnarigu/Kukuo, a would-be pilgrim, told the Ghana News Agency at the Hajj Village in Tamale on Friday that he was happy to be travelling from his home region to Mecca to perform his religious rights.

The first batch of the would-be pilgrims numbering about 500 gathered at the Hajj Village in Tamale on Friday where officials from the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Airports Company took them through the departure formalities.

A total 1500 would-be pilgrims are expected to travel from Tamale to Mecca.

The first flight will take off on Friday afternoon from the Tamale Airport.

The Tamale Airport has been rehabilitated and the runway extended to enable big planes to land and take off with ease.

President John Mahama is expected to inaugurate the Tamale International Airport on Friday afternoon, shortly before the first flight of the would-be pilgrims takes off.

Imam Mumuni said it would be better for all pilgrims be flown from Tamale to Mecca since that route was shorter (five hours) than Accra to Mecca (six hours).

He said the would-be pilgrims were going as one family urging them to remain as one family in all their endeavours in Mecca and return home again as one family.

Mrs Fuseina Mohammed expressed joy with the new Tamale-Mecca arrangement saying it shortens the worry and hustle usually associated with the journey in Accra.

GNA has also gathered unconfirmed information that nationals from neighbouring countries including Togo and Burkina Faso have also joined Ghanaian would-be pilgrims to travel from Tamale to Mecca.

Source: GNA