Accra: Two pilgrims from the Bawku Central constituency are currently unaccounted for after participating in the 2025 Hajj, according to Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Bawku Central. Mr. Ayariga attributed the situation to language barriers and the advanced age of the pilgrims. 'Mr. Speaker, I cannot account for two of my pilgrims. I have been calling our Consular Officer there to help us find where they are because some of them are very old people,' Mr. Ayariga said.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Ayariga expressed concerns over the challenges faced by the pilgrims, noting that many of them are venturing outside Ghana for the first time. This, combined with language barriers, has led to confusion among the pilgrims who may have mixed up with groups from other countries. Mr. Ayariga, who also serves as the Majority Leader, highlighted these issues during a session in Parliament on Thursday.
Mr. Ayariga suggested that there is a need for legislative measures to better manage the Hajj process. 'After the Hajj, we cannot account for our people; the Foreign Affairs Minister is the person we should be working with. I have said that perhaps it is time for this house and the country to have legislation on Hajj instead of it just being a committee,' he stated.
The issue was also addressed by Mr. Dominic Nitiwul, a former Minister for Defence and a New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Bimbilla. He called on the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs to provide a comprehensive briefing on the management of the 2025 Hajj. In response, Minister Ahmed Ibrahim assured that a full briefing would follow the Hajj Committee's report. He emphasized the importance of addressing questions to prevent future occurrences and mentioned that a report from Honourable Collins Dauda's committee would soon be submitted, prompting a detailed briefing.
