The Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) has urged the Muslim public to adhere strictly to Saudi Arabia's permit rules after many Ghanaian nationals were banned from performing Hajj for breaching entry rules.
The administration said the caution was important to prevent anyone from paying for Hajj 2026 while they were already forbidden from entering the country.
In a press release issued yesterday and signed by the Director of Communications for PAOG, Mohammed Amin Lamptey, the PAOG said the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia enforced strict permit checks during the 2025 Hajj and stopped large numbers of unregistered pilgrims from entering Mecca.
The office said that included Ghanaians who attempted to enter with short-term visas and who were later banned for five years.
Entry restrictions
The release explained that Saudi Arabia blocked more than 269,000 people without valid Hajj permits from entering Mecca during the 2025 pilgrimage.
Those turned away included individuals from several countries who did not follow the permit process.
According to the office, some Ghanaian nationals fell into this category and were now unable to enter Saudi Arabia during the period of their ban.
The Saudi Ministry of Tourism also banned accommodation facilities in Mecca from hosting anyone without a Hajj permit or a valid residency or work permit during the Hajj season.
Payment warning
Because of these restrictions, the release stated that accredited Hajj agents and prospective pilgrims must not take payments from people who had been banned.
The office said accepting such payments would create avoidable complications.
It said banned individuals would lose any money they had paid because they would not receive visas under any circumstance.
“No refunds will be issued to anyone who had been banned and still attempted to pay for Hajj 2026,” it stated.
PAOG said the rules were meant to protect the safety of pilgrims, reduce overcrowding and maintain order throughout the pilgrimage period.
It urged agents to verify the status of all prospective pilgrims before collecting payments.
The office said it was working to ensure a smoother process for the next Hajj season, and expected all stakeholders to comply with the instructions issued by the Saudi authorities.
