Ghanaian pilgrims who left Ghana on May 1 have arrived safely in Mecca, the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) has confirmed.

The Authority confirmed this through its Communications Directorate. The announcement was made in Mecca after the pilgrims completed a three‑day stay in Madina.

Before they arrived in Madina ( one of the holiest cities in Islam, after Mecca), the Board had already deployed a team to receive the pilgrims as they were expected to rest there before proceeding to Mecca.

They were received and commuted to their respective hotels to rest and prepare for the Hajj rites in the coming days.

The pilgrims left for Mecca from Tamale at about 11:30 a.m. on Friday and touched down at 4 p.m. GMT.

So far, five batches of pilgrims have departed Tamale for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the annual Islamic ritual.

In all, a total of 6000 pilgrims are expected to depart from Ghana in 18 different flights from May 1 to May 18, 2026.

No issues or challenges so far

The Director of Communications for PAOG, Mohammed Amin Lamptey, confirmed that all pilgrims are in good health and without any complications, attributing the smooth transition to deliberate measures implemented by authorities to ensure their well-being.

He further assured families of the pilgrims back hom eof the safety of their relatives throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Lamptey added that an advance team had been dispatched to Saudi Arabia to receive the pilgrims both in Madina and Mecca.

He said, “this year, we have enhanced our communication systems to ensure that sensitive information is handled accurately and shared appropriately”.

Meanwhile, in February, the Board announced that it had closed all operational activities needed to prepare pilgrims for this year’s pilgrimage. The operational activities include completing key administrative processes, such as payments, documentation, and passport submissions.

The pilgrimage coordinators, in a formal press release on Wednesday, February 18, with the title “Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana officially closes 2026 Hajj arrangements with immediate effect,” noted that the closure of the arrangements is to relieve organisers of pressure from the high volume of applications and operational demands, ensuring that all processes leading up to this year’s Hajj could be completed efficiently.

Parts of the statement read, “The Administration of the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) wishes to officially announce the closure of its activities regarding the 2026 Hajj arrangements to ease the immeasurable pressure on administrators.

All operational processes leading to this year’s Hajj, including payments, documentation, and submissions, have been duly concluded, barring any unforeseen circumstances.”

On visa arrangements and issuance, PAOG noted that only prospective pilgrims who submitted all required documents and passports on time will be considered, emphasising that early payment and medical screening are key to ensuring a smooth and efficient 2026 Hajj exercise.

“We wish to emphasise that only prospective pilgrims who submitted their passports and all required documents within the stipulated time frame were considered for the visa process. Visa processing could not commence without full compliance with the documentation requirements. It is important to note that early payment, effective medical screening, and timely passport submission significantly contribute to a smoother, more efficient process for the 2026 Hajj exercise”, the statement added.

PAOG also reminded pilgrims to complete all medical screening in the selected regions nationwide, noting that remaining screening for both Greater Accra and Kumasi is slated for the next three days. It also highlighted the lessons it has learned from this year’s travel arrangements and logistics handling, among other things, which they believe will help reshape and create a smooth run for the subsequent year’s processes.

“Medical screening has been completed in the selected regions and centres. The remaining screenings for the Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions are scheduled for February 22 and 28, respectively. We further wish to state that lessons learned from this year’s operations will strengthen future Hajj arrangements to ensure greater efficiency, transparency, and improved service delivery”, the Hajj organisers said.

Also, “…prospective pilgrims under special arrangements (Protocol) are reminded to submit their passports as soon as possible to complete the process. They are also required to participate in the medical screening in Kumasi or at the Hajj Village in Accra.