The group officially announced their return from the pilgrimage and present­ed citations to the Ambassador and the King of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince, expressing appreciation for granting them the privilege to perform the Hajj and Umrah as guests of the king, and at no cost to them.

This year, the Saudi government offered 20 Ghanaian Muslim professionals, in­cluding the Ghanaian Times a sponsorship package to perform the Hajj and Umrah in Makkah and visits to Medinah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Ali Gomdah Abdul-Samad, a private legal practitioner, expressed appreciation to the King, the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman for the “privilege” to perform the Hajj and Umrah as his guests under serene environment and convenience.

“In Saudi Arabia, we saw a beautiful country with beautiful “deen” (faith), we enjoyed the warm hospitality of the people of Saudi Arabia, we made friends with people from across the globe who converged on the Holy land to perform the Hajj,” he said.

Alhaji Abdul-Samad extolled the gen­erosity of the King and people of Saudi Arabia and prayed that more Ghanaian Muslims benefit from the generosity of the King’s Hajj programme.

Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan Atakpo, Administrator of the Coalition of Islamic Humanitarian Organisations said perfor­mance of the Hajj had helped to uplift one’s spirit as Muslim and shaped their lives to uphold the principles and teach­ings of Islam.

Alhaji Shaibu M.B. Sulemana Protocol Officer and Spokesman of Sarkin-Zongo Place in Kumasi reiterated the group’s ap­preciation of the generosity of the King.

Mr Al-Dhakel prayed for the strengthen­ing of the good bilateral relations between Ghana and the King and people of Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This year, at least 4,951 Muslims from across the globe benefited from the King’s special invitation to perform the Hajj and Umrah and to enjoy the hospitality and warmth of the people of the Kingdom.

More 62,000 Muslims from 140 coun­tries across the globe had benefited from the King’s Hajj and Umrah programme instituted 28 years ago.

Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam and it is compulsory for every Muslim who is sane and has the means to undertake the pilgrimage to the Holy land to perform religious rites, including circumambulation the Kaaba, running between mount Safar and Marwa, spending whole day supplicat­ing in Arafat, and camping at Mina to cast stones at the devil at Jamarat, as symbol of rejection satanic influence, to attain God’s blessings, mercies and forgiveness.