Gov’t absorbs $80 Hajj fare increment, maintains fare for 2020

The Hajj Pilgrimage fare will remain unchanged for the 2020 Hajj pilgrimage.

This is because government has absorbed an $80 increase to the 2019 fare of GH¢19,500, the equivalent of $3,500 dollars.

The Pilgrimage Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG), in conjunction with Hajj Agents Association, has announced that an additional $80 fee has been imposed by the Saudi Arabian government for the 2020 Hajj but the government has absorbed that increment.

The unsubsidized Hajj Pilgrimage fare is GH¢24,000 but the government of Ghana pays a GH¢4,500 subsidy for all pilgrims.

The new fare was announced by the Chairman of the PAOG, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, at the 2019 Hajj Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday at the Hajj Village in Accra.

In order to avoid last-minute rush, the Chairman urged would-be pilgrims to start paying their fares immediately to the Hajj Board accounts at Stanbic Bank or through accredited Hajj agents.

“After consultations with the Government of Ghana under the auspices of the Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia the package of this year’s hajj 2019 remains unchanged as last year’s GH¢19,500,” he said.

“All interested to perform the hajj this year, are advised to start payments now to avoid any last-minute problems. The policy for payments remains first-come-first-serve” he stressed.