UAE to Sponsor 344 Ghanaian Pilgrims for 2027 Hajj
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to sponsor the Hajj pilgrimage of 344 Ghanaian Muslims for the 2027 season as part of efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.
The sponsorship, being undertaken under the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was formally presented in Accra during a ceremony at Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A dummy cheque representing the sponsorship was handed over to Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, by the UAE Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Abdulla AlMandous, and the Deputy Head of Mission, Khalifa Almehrzi.
The initiative is expected to cover the Hajj costs of the 344 selected Ghanaian pilgrims, enabling them to undertake the pilgrimage to Makkah under the sponsorship programme.
The ceremony was attended by Ghana’s Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga; Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Yussif Issaka Jajah; and Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, Alhaji Abdul Rauf Ibrahim Tanko.
UAE to Sponsor 344 Ghanaian Pilgrims for 2027 Hajj
The programme will be administered in collaboration with the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG), which operates under the Ghana Hajj Board.
The sponsorship reflects the longstanding ties between Ghana and the UAE and adds a religious dimension to the growing cooperation between the two countries.
For the selected beneficiaries, the initiative will provide an opportunity to fulfil one of Islam’s five pillars without bearing the costs covered under the sponsorship.
The annual Hajj pilgrimage attracts millions of Muslims from around the world to Saudi Arabia, where pilgrims perform a series of religious rites in Makkah and other holy sites.
The 2027 Hajj is expected to take place in May, subject to the sighting of the Dhul-Hijjah moon.
