By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Ghanaian Muslims undertaking the annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia are set to benefit from improved comfort and streamlined travel arrangements as work progresses on a new Hajj Village at the Kotoka International Airport.
The Board Chair of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, James Agalga, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the new Hajj Village project at the Kotoka International Airport, describing it as a major intervention to improve the organisation of Hajj in Ghana.
According to him, the integrated facility represents a significant step toward streamlining pilgrimage arrangements for Ghanaian Muslims who travel annually to the Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
The project, which is dear to President John Dramani Mahama, commenced early last year when he cut the sod for work to begin.
When completed, the Hajj Village will feature a modern terminal building to facilitate passenger processing, a recreational area for pilgrims who often spend a few days at the facility prior to departure, and a clinic to provide emergency healthcare services.
Other components of the project include a commercial enclave to ensure year-round use of the facility, a conference centre for events and meetings, and a canteen to serve patrons within the enclave.
Members of the Board, who toured the project site, commended the quality of work done so far and described the overall concept as forward-looking.
The contractor, Mawums Construction, was praised for the steady progress of work and urged to intensify efforts to meet the completion schedule.
Although the project is said to be slightly behind schedule, consultants have assured that measures are being implemented to recover lost time and enable completion by the end of the year for commissioning.
The Ghana Airports Company Limited, which will assume ownership of the facility upon completion, is not directly funding the project. Instead, the development is being executed under a land swap arrangement, where the contractor is financing the construction in exchange for the old Hajj Village land.
The arrangement has been described as an innovative approach to infrastructure delivery without immediate cost to the state.
The Board indicated that it would brief the sector minister on the outcome of the inspection and subsequently update the President on the progress of work.
The new Hajj Village is expected to significantly enhance the comfort and travel arrangements of Ghanaian pilgrims and improve the overall management of Hajj operations in the country.
