The Chairman of the Pilgrims Affairs Office, Ghana Alhaji Ibrahim Abdul-Rauf Tanko, has expressed regrets that some pilgrims were unable to make the trip attributing the challenge to the non-issuance of visas to the affected persons.

The visa challenge, according to him, was not peculiar to Ghana but appealed to the few who could not make it because of the external difficulties, to exercise a great deal of patience and to be assured that the secretariat shall give them priority in the coming year.

Regardless of the challenges, Alhaji Tanko expressed relative satisfaction so far as the conduct of this year’s Hajj is concerned.

He observed that, by the grace of Almighty Allah, he was, together with his team, able to improve systems at the Hajj secretariat that helped this year’s pilgrimage adding that, the patience and cooperation of pilgrims and the entirety of the Muslim community, deserve a special mention relative to this year’s success.

He was also quick to acknowledge the immense support afforded him and his outfit, by President John Dramani Mahama and the Chief of Staff.

A greater percentage of the hurdles experienced this year, he went on, were exogenous. Nonetheless, “with divine support and guidance we were able to surmount them”.

Alhaji Tanko assured Ghanaians that he will do everything he practically can to avert any such unfortunate occurrence in the future. He however admonished prospective pilgrims to avoid the culture of making late payments as this played a major part in the challenges encountered this year.

It would be recalled that the over 500 plus capacity aircraft which conveyed the last batch of pilgrims had just about 200 passengers even as hundreds were not able to make the trip.

Speaking from Saudi Arabia where he is with this year’s batch of Ghanaian pilgrims he wished all Muslims in particular and Ghanaians in general a blissful Eidul-Adha.

He counseled that, this important religious event should remind all Ghanaians to renew and deepen “our age-long culture of giving to the needy and be generally hospitable.”

Speaking to us from Mecca, the Chairman of the Pilgrims Office said they (Ghanaian pilgrims) are praying for mother Ghana to continue being a model peaceful and democratic country.

They also are praying for economic prosperity for all.