The Chairman of the National Hajj Board, has revealed Muslims in Ghana almost missed out on this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca due, to debt accrued by the previous government.
Sheikh I.C Quaye says the Mahama administration left behind a debt of GHS33 million and the country owed Saudi Arabia Airline over $1.8 million.
"At Saudi Arabia to prepare for this year's pilgrimage, we were confronted with debt...so we were able to arrange with them on how to go about the situation," he stated while interacting with stakeholders in the Ashanti region.
He said had the arrangement not been done, any money paid by the board to Saudi Airlines, hotels and other suppliers would have been used to defray the debt. Persons expecting to travel therefore would not have been able to, even though they had paid for their trip.
Thankfully he added, an agreement has been reached for pilgrims to be picked and every other issues on money would be taken care off.
Muslims across the country every year, undertake a holy pilgrimage to Mecca under the national Hajj Board.