Islamic scholar petitions President for direct Kumasi Hajj flights
An Islamic scholar, Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan, has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and ensure that Hajj pilgrims from the middle belt of Ghana are airlifted directly from Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi for the 2026 Hajj.
In the petition, Sheikh Ridwan highlighted the longstanding hardship faced by pilgrims from the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and adjoining regions, who are compelled to endure long and often dangerous road journeys to either Kotoka International Airport in Accra or Tamale International Airport before departing for Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan who is also a philanthropist and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Radio in Kumasi, described the arrangement as placing undue physical, emotional and financial strain on pilgrims, many of whom are elderly or medically vulnerable and undertaking the sacred journey for the first and possibly only time in their lives.
The congested and accident-prone Accra-Kumasi highway, he noted, posed serious safety risks that could not be overlooked.
Technical difficulties
He expressed concern that successive Hajj Boards had repeatedly cited technical difficulties as the reason for not using Kumasi airport, yet had failed to seriously explore viable alternatives, such as chartering medium-sized aircraft capable of operating from Prempeh I International Airport – an approach that has proved successful in other countries.
He further pointed out that pilgrims routed through Accra often faced undignified conditions at the Hajj Village, including inadequate accommodation, poor sanitation, severe overcrowding and prolonged delays caused by administrative bottlenecks, all of which exposed them to unnecessary health risks at a time when they should be spiritually focused and physically rested.
Describing Hajj as a profound spiritual obligation, the petitioner stressed that the state had a moral duty to treat pilgrims with dignity, fairness and compassion.
He argued that the continued exclusion of Kumasi as a departure point disadvantaged pilgrims from the middle belt and undermined the principles of equity and inclusiveness.
Appeal
Sheikh Ridwan therefore appealed to President Mahama to personally intervene ahead of the 2026 Hajj season by directing the Ghana Hajj Board to prioritise direct flights from Kumasi, facilitate the chartering of suitable aircraft, and ensure close coordination among the Hajj Board, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, airport authorities and private airline operators to guarantee the comfort, safety and dignity of all pilgrims.
He expressed confidence that presidential action would bring relief to thousands of pilgrims and their families while demonstrating commitment to humane governance and national unity.
The Muslim community in the middle belt, he emphasised, sought only fair access and reasonable accommodation in fulfilling this sacred religious duty.
Copies of the petition have been sent to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at Manhyia Palace; the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene; and all media houses.
