Accra: The Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana will commence the second phase of the Hajj pilgrims airlifting in Accra on Monday, May 10, with a backlog of 48 Tamale pilgrims yet to be airlifted.

The delayed pilgrims, who were too few to have a separate flight, have been transferred to join the batch of pilgrims being airlifted from Accra International Airport to Medina, Saudi Arabia.

“This decision has been necessitated by a reduction in the number of pilgrims scheduled to board the final Tamale flight, which fell below the minimum requirement set by airline operational regulations,” the Pilgrims Affairs Office stated in a press statement released on Friday.

In an interview with Channel One TV, the deputy director of communications, Haruna Mohammed, also disclosed that some four pilgrims have been disqualified from embarking on the journey on medical grounds.

For obvious reasons, these people were not fit to travel. So, there was the need for us to drop them and put people who are physically fit to embark on this year’s pilgrimage,” he said.

Eight flights were deployed to airlift approximately 3,070 pilgrims over eight days at the end of the first phase of airlifting, which began on May 1, 2026, at the Tamale International Airport.

In a statement, the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana expressed gratitude to stakeholders, including agents, officials, and the general public, for their support and cooperation throughout the Tamale phase of the Hajj operations.

It also commended the commended Tamale pilgrims for their conduct during the exercise.

It stated that, “As operations shift to Accra, all prospective pilgrims are encouraged to emulate the discipline demonstrated during the Tamale phase.”

The local Hajj authority has advised pilgrims to strictly adhere to reporting times, comply with luggage regulations, and avoid carrying prohibited items to facilitate a seamless departure process.