Hajj 2027: UAE donates GHS 20.6 million to sponsor 340 Ghanaian pilgrims
Accra: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has donated GHS 20.6 million to sponsor 340 Ghanaian Muslims to perform the 2027 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The donation was described by the UAE Embassy in Accra as a “generous gesture of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.”
Dr Abdulla Murad Sulaiman Mohammed Almandoos, UAE Ambassador to Ghana, presented the cheque to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at a ceremony in Accra on Tuesday.
The presentation was witnessed by Alhaji Abdul-Rauf Tanko Ibrahim, Chairman of the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG)/Ghana Hajj Board; Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; and Yussif Jajah, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
The sponsorship comes at a crucial stage of Ghana’s preparations for the 2027 pilgrimage, following PAOG’s recent decision to close payments for Hajj 2027 with immediate effect.
PAOG said the closure was necessary to prevent oversubscription, align the number of confirmed pilgrims with Ghana’s approved quota and ensure that all pilgrims who had paid would be successfully airlifted to Saudi Arabia.
The Office said managing pilgrim numbers within the approved quota remained critical to ensure a safe, efficient and well-coordinated pilgrimage.
The UAE donation, however, raises questions about how the 340 beneficiaries will be selected and accommodated within the existing arrangements, particularly because the payment window has already been closed.
It is yet to be clarified who the beneficiaries of the sponsorship are or whether the 340 sponsored pilgrims are among those already confirmed for the 2027 pilgrimage.
The donation also comes as PAOG seeks to build on the gains of the 2026 Hajj while preventing administrative and operational difficulties associated with oversubscription.
Further clarification from PAOG on the selection of beneficiaries and their integration into the 2027 Hajj arrangements would, therefore, be important as preparations for the pilgrimage continue.
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