The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central and Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has revealed that two pilgrims from his constituency who traveled for the 2025 Hajj are currently missing.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Ayariga attributed the unfortunate situation to factors such as language barriers, since many of the pilgrims do not speak Arabic—and the advanced age of some travelers.
He assured the House that steps are being taken to locate the missing individuals and ensure their safe return.
“I cannot account for two of my pilgrims. I’ve been in contact with our Consular Officer to assist in finding them because some are very old. You attend an event with over a million participants, many of whom are uneducated and unable to communicate in any other language—it becomes very challenging.
For many of them, it’s their first time leaving Ghana, and they can easily get lost among pilgrims from other countries.
That’s why, when such issues arise after Hajj, the Foreign Affairs Minister must get involved. I believe it’s time this House considers legislation on Hajj rather than leaving it solely to a committee,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Defence Minister and MP for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, has urged the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to brief Parliament on the overall coordination and management of the 2025 Hajj.
In response, Minister Ahmed Ibrahim stated that a full report will be presented after the Hajj Committee, chaired by Collins Dauda, completes its review.
“When briefing Parliament, accuracy is key. The purpose of this inquiry is to help the country prevent future incidents. A report will be submitted. Let’s be patient. Once the committee presents its findings, we will come before the House with a comprehensive briefing,” he assured.
