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Ghana Hajj Board promises to refund fees of pilgrims
The Ghana Hajj Board (GHB) says it is working feverishly to refund the Hajj fees of pilgrims and Hajj agents who paid to take part in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
This follows the cancellation of the programme to international participants by the Saudi Government.
A statement issued the by GHB and jointly signed by the Chairman of the Hajj Board, Sheikh and Alhaji Issah Umar Suleiman, Ghana Hajj Agents Association, copied to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, said the Minister of Hajj and Umrah and the Government of Saudi Arabia last June, issued a statement cancelling this year’s Hajj to international participants.
It said the cancellation of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage to international participants by the Saudi Government was due to the coronavirus pandemic and the risk that it continued to present to the well-being of society.
Subsequently, the statement said GHB “has received requests from pilgrims and Hajj agents for refunds of their Hajj fees.”
The GHB and the Ghana Hajj Agents Association said the monies paid by pilgrims were intended to pay for Hajj services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including accommodation, feeding, transportation, procurement of Hajj bags.
According to the statement, deposits for the Hajj services were made as far back as February, 2020 in preparation for this year’s exercise.
“We have received indication from the Saudi Authorities that, refunds would be processed by September, 2020, which is after the local Hajj has concluded,” the statement said.
It requested all persons who had directly or via their Hajj agents, paid monies to the Hajj Board through the bank, to co-operate with management, as they work to successfully address their concerns.
The GHB urged the general public to disregard any previous statement or television interviews or social media post that had been made with respect to the cancellation of this year’s Hajj.
The statement said: “Ghanaian pilgrims will not be able to travel to Makkah, to perform Hajj this year,” due to the cancellation of the programme to international participants by the Saudi Government to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
About 6,000 pilgrims were expected to travel to Mecca to participate in this year’s Hajj
Last year, more than 6,000 pilgrims were successfully flown from Ghana to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj rituals.
The fee for last year’s Hajj was pegged at GH¢19, 000 and same was priced this year.
Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to the Holy city of Mecca where Muslims perform various rituals as part of an Islamic obligation.
It is the fifth pillar of Islam, which enjoins every Muslim who can afford, and is physically fit, to embark on the pilgrimage, at least once in their lifetime.
Each year, millions of Muslims from all parts of the world converge on Saudi Arabia to praise Allah, express appreciation to Him for His mercies and also seek blessings and forgiveness for their trespasses as part of the rituals.
Source: Ghanaian Times
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
