Saudi Sanctions Ghana Over Hajj

Accra (Daily Guide) --THE SAUDI authorities have taken strong exception to the late arrival of Ghanaian pilgrims for last December?s Hajj operations, warning of severe sanctions if the problem is repeated.

The warning came just as government dispatched planes to evacuate stranded pilgrims at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, who have been languishing in the cold weather.

About 1,000 pilgrims are currently sleeping at the airport, and have run out of cash. DAILY GUIDE learnt that officials of the Interim National Hajj Management Committee (IHMC) were chased out of the airport.

The Saudi authorities, who were miffed about the Hajj operations, said the problem should not be allowed to continue.

?The Saudi authorities imposed sanctions on them for allowing Ghanaian pilgrims to be flown into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after the closing date of the Hajj Terminal,? a source at the Ghana Consulate in Jeddah told DAILY GUIDE.

Ghanaian pilgrims were slapped with extra 10 days stay in Saudi Arabia as penalty for the incompetent handling of the Hajj by IHMC, which cross the Ghana Government has been asked to bear.

Ghana?s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Alhaji Rashid Bawa was made to sign an undertaking and a confirmation letter guaranteeing that the wellbeing of the pilgrims was the sole responsibility of the Ghana Government.

The Government was as well asked to take concrete steps to ensure that Ghanaians pilgrims arrived on time for the Hajj rituals.

The December Hajj operations were characterized by logistical difficulties which nearly prevented the 2,800 pilgrims from embarking on the spiritual journey. It took President John Agyekum Kufuor?s intervention to source an extension for landing rights at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah for Ghanaian pilgrims to participate in the annual exercise. The IHMC, tasked to manage the 2007 Hajj, run into troubled waters when it failed to secure an aircraft from Saudi-based airliners, Al Alama Group for lifting Ghanaian pilgrims.

According to documents available to DAILY GUIDE, the contract between the two bodies was heavily in favour of the airline, leaving no opening for the IHMC in the event of breach of contract.

?A cursory glance at the agreement which was signed between the Interim Hajj Management Committee and the Al Alama Group reveals that the terms were heavily skewed in favour of the latter, which gives it the leeway to get away with it if the company fails to live up to its obligations under the contract,? the source said.

The Hajj Board paid the airline $1,500 for each of the 2,800 pilgrims through Libyan intermediaries without assurance that the Al Alama Group would get an aircraft for the airlifting of the pilgrims. DAILY GUIDE investigations indicate that trouble started when two officials of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) dispatched to Jeddah on November 24, 2007 to inspect aircrafts earmarked for the Hajj operations were left stranded.

For one week the aviation safety inspectors, Captain J.M. Mireku Agyekum and Samuel Benson, in the company of Mohammed Ghazali Yakubu of the Hajj Committee, were on a wild goose chase as the Al Alama Group was dodgy about the Ghana operations.

The cup of the airline was full, because it had been engaged in other flight operations.

There was no aircraft and the Libyan brokers were nowhere to be found.

?However, it appeared the Libyan brokers contracted took their commission and disappeared since the Hajj Committee indicated that its attempt to locate the brokers had failed,? the source stated.

However, on December 12, two days to the closure of the Hajj Terminal to all pilgrimage-bound flights, Al Alama dispatched two Russian-made L-1011 aircrafts from Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Accra to commence the Hajj operations, without certification of its airworthiness by the GCAA officials.

The Russian aircrafts have been blacklisted in many countries including the European Union and Saudi Arabia because of its poor maintenance and safety records.

Since the aircrafts have been banned by the Saudi Civil Aviation Authorities, the Alama Group decided to fly the pilgrims to UAE and after, transferred them through transit flights to Jeddah.

By December 17, 2007, 600 pilgrims had arrived in Jeddah through Ras Al-Khaimah.

The airlifting was completed on December 18, with a total of 1,915 pilgrims arriving at the Jeddah airport.

The Alama Group was assisted by Bin Sheikh Air-Link, arranged by the Ghana Mission in the Kingdom, on behalf of Ghana Government.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the involvement of Bin Sheikh Air-Link in the Hajj operations secured the reopening of the Jeddah Airport, which had been closed to pilgrims.

?The involvement of Bin Sheikh Air-Link was very crucial as it was able to secure the re-opening of the Hajj Terminal which enabled all the stranded Ghanaian pilgrims to be flown in until December 18, 2007,? the source indicated.

DAILY GUIDE learnt also that about four Ghanaians were reported dead at the Holy Land.

According to sources, Ghana could have avoided the embarrassment that trailed the Hajj operations if the Interim Hajj Committee had conducted due diligence on the operations of the airline.

The Ghana Mission is suggesting that future Hajj operations should go for reliable carriers like Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines or Egypt Air.