President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed plans to transport 5,000 Ghanaian Muslims to Mecca for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the Hajj village on Friday, February 28, President Mahama stressed the need for timely payments and efficient coordination to ensure a smooth travel process.

“This year, we intend to airlift exactly 5,000 pilgrims to the holy land, and the task force has announced 13th March as the deadline for payment,” he stated.

He further revealed that a pre-financing arrangement had been secured with a local bank, guaranteeing that all essential payments for accommodation, transport, and other services had been settled in advance.

To avoid logistical challenges, President Mahama directed the Hajj task force to strictly adhere to the 5,000-pilgrim limit.

“I’ve instructed the hard task force that they should cut off at exactly 5,000 and not go beyond 5,000. We don’t want the previous situation where people rush with late payments, and we are unable to airlift them and become complaining,” he added.