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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
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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