President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the Police to escort pilgrims of the North, who have arrived from Saudi Arabia, to their various destinations, Alhaji Alhassan Benne, Chairman of the National Hajj Committee, announced on Friday.

He told the Ghana News Agency that this was to protect the pilgrims from armed attacks on their way to their destinations and to ensure their safe arrival.

He said buses had been lined up at the newly constructed Hajj Village awaiting the arrival of pilgrims, adding that “Some are already in the bus and we are waiting for other pilgrims who have just arrived on the fourth flight.”

Alhaji Benne said so far, four batches of the pilgrims had already arrived from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, while others were expected to come by daily flights agreed by the Committee and Egypt Air to meet the general elections.

He said Egypt Air was the official airline, which airlifted the pilgrims to the Holy Land and that the Hajj Committee was working with the airline to fulfill its agreement on a daily flight schedules from Saudi Arabia.

Alhaji Benne said that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government was committed to the welfare of Muslims in the country and that all measures were put in place to avoid the inconveniences of pilgrims.

“The provision of the new Hajj Village with all modern facilities shows the commitment of the President to uplift the standards of Muslims in the country," he said.