File photo of Ghanaian pilgrims travelling to Mecca
Ghanaian Hajj pilgrims from the northern sector of Ghana, who have arrived in Makkah, Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage, have expressed deep dissatisfaction over the poor services being offered by the Hajj Task Force.
The task force, which was set up by President John Dramani Mahama to replace the Hajj Board, had earlier assured Ghanaian pilgrims of a quality Hajj experience.
However, with nearly half of Ghana’s 5,000 pilgrims already in Saudi Arabia following departures from Tamale, many are seething with rage over unfulfilled promises.
Several pilgrims have taken to social media to voice their frustrations, accusing the Hajj Task Force of failing to provide value for money. They have shared various challenges they are facing in Makkah, with some of the complaints captured in a viral video recorded by frustrated pilgrims who departed from Tamale.
Speaking in Dagbani, some angry pilgrims expressed concern about poor accommodation located far from the Holy Mosque. They warned fellow pilgrims yet to travel from Ghana to brace themselves for substandard services.
In another social media post, a respected Islamic cleric from Tamale, Sheikh Hashim Ibn, also shared his frustration over the conditions in Makkah.
“I paid GH¢62,000 in cash from my sweat for Hajj 2025. I got here and ended up becoming a member of the Da’awa Committee, assisting other pilgrims against my own schedule and the purpose for which I came, due to insufficient personnel from the committee I paid to serve,” he lamented.
“The worst part is the hotel we’re lodged in. It is a total mess — not only is it located far from the Haram (Holy Mosque), but it also has only three very old lifts that carry just five people at a time in a 10-storey building. Each floor has about 10 rooms, and each room accommodates 4–5 pilgrims. Just imagine.”
“Multiply 5 people by 10 rooms — that’s 50 people per floor. Multiply that by 10 floors, and you have about 500 people relying on 2–3 oven-like lifts. I’m crammed into a room with four others, with no air conditioning in a city where temperatures often exceed 45°C,” he added.
According to him, the only source of relief is “a fan that could wake the dead.”
“There’s just one bathroom for 8 to 10 people. Imagine spending 3–4 weeks in these conditions. I don’t know how they manage this every year. This is my first Hajj. I’ve been here a few times for Umrah and received excellent service then.”
“Please quote me anywhere: Pilgrims are not fine this Hajj. And don’t make this a political issue — I have nothing to do with politics,” he concluded.
AME