Mounting frustration over what has been described as years of neglect and logistical injustice has boiled over, as the Chief Executive Officer of Kumasi-based Alpha Radio, Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan, formally petitions President John Dramani Mahama to intervene in the persistent difficulties surrounding the airlift of Hajj pilgrims from Ghana’s middle belt.
At the centre of the petition is a long-standing demand for the Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi to be used as a direct departure point for Ghanaian pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia as an option. According to Sheikh Ridwan, Prempeh I International Airport has been unjustifiably ignored, despite repeated assurances by successive Ghana Hajj Boards.
According to the Islamic scholar, pilgrims from Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and neighbouring regions continue to be subjected to exhausting and risky road journeys to Accra or Tamale, before they can even begin the sacred pilgrimage, a situation he describes as discriminatory, avoidable and inhumane.
“This practice has imposed needless physical, emotional and financial hardship on pilgrims, many of whom are elderly, frail or undertaking the Hajj for the first time,” he noted.
Safety and Dignity at Stake
Sheikh Ridwan further warned that the long road trips, particularly along the heavily trafficked and accident-prone Accra–Kumasi highway expose pilgrims to serious safety risks, stress and fatigue, before a spiritually demanding journey even begins.
He criticised what he called the chronic failure of successive Hajj Boards to meaningfully engage aviation authorities and airline operators to explore the chartering of medium-sized aircraft capable of operating from the Prempeh I International Airport.
“To pretend this is a logistical impossibility is dishonest,” he argued, insisting that the exclusion of Kumasi reflects a lack of political will rather than technical constraints.
Condemning Conditions in Accra
Beyond transportation, Sheikh Ridwan also condemned the conditions pilgrims are forced to endure at the Hajj Village in Accra, describing overcrowding, inadequate accommodation, poor sanitation and prolonged waiting periods caused by administrative inefficiencies.
He said these conditions strip pilgrims of dignity and undermine the sanctity of a journey that is meant to be spiritually elevating, not physically punishing.
“Hajj is not tourism. It is a sacred obligation. The state has a moral duty to treat pilgrims with respect, compassion and fairness,” he stressed.
Call for Presidential Intervention
The petition urges President Mahama to intervene decisively ahead of the 2026 Hajj season by directing the Ghana Hajj Board to prioritise direct flights from Kumasi, facilitate realistic charter arrangements and enforce coordination among all relevant stakeholders.
Sheikh Ridwan warned that continued inaction would only deepen perceptions of regional marginalisation and institutional indifference to the plight of middle belt Muslims.
In a clear signal of the gravity of the issue, the petition was also copied to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene and the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, effectively placing both traditional and political authorities on notice.
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