Two pilgrims from Bawku Central missing after Hajj
By Rebecca Okine
Two Ghanaian pilgrims from Bawku Central in the Upper East Region who participated in this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia are still unaccounted for, raising fresh concerns about the country’s Hajj management system.
The revelation was made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central and Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, who said the two pilgrims, both elderly, have not been located since participating in the religious rituals.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Ayariga attributed the difficulty in locating them to language barriers and the pilgrims’ unfamiliarity with the foreign environment.
“I cannot account for two of my pilgrims. Some of them are very old and do not speak any other language. You go to an event where there are over a million people attending. They are not educated, and for many, this is their first time traveling outside Ghana,” he told Parliament.
Mr. Ayariga explained that due to the chaotic nature of the Hajj, pilgrims who lack formal education and travel experience often get disoriented and may end up separated from their groups.
“It’s becoming very challenging, and sometimes they get mixed up with pilgrims from other countries,” he indicated.
Mr. Ayariga called for closer collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help locate the missing individuals. He also proposed the introduction of a dedicated Hajj law to regulate pilgrimage arrangements in a more structured manner.
“After the Hajj, when we cannot account for our people, the Foreign Affairs Minister is the person we should be working with. Perhaps it is time for this House and the country to have legislation on Hajj instead of it just being a committee,” he suggested.
The Bawku Central MP’s concerns were supported by the MP for Bimbilla and former Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, who urged the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Religious Affairs to provide a formal briefing to Parliament on the conduct of the 2025 pilgrimage.
The revelation adds to growing concerns following another incident in which Fatima Kassim, a pilgrim from Madina, was wrongly declared dead in Saudi Arabia. Her family held funeral rites in her absence, only for her to return home alive days later.
According to the Hajj Taskforce, the incident was the result of mistaken identity between two hospitalized patients, one of whom was traveling on a tourist visa and the other under Ghana’s official Hajj delegation.
“We had a mistaken identity situation. The most important thing is that the lady is alive and well,” said Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, a member of the Taskforce.
The events have prompted renewed calls for improved coordination, safety protocols, and legal backing to manage future pilgrimages more effectively and ensure the safety and accountability of all participants.
