BY Daniel Bampoe
A Ghanaian woman has died while performing the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, as growing concerns mount over the quality of services provided to Ghanaian pilgrims during this year’s exercise.
The deceased, identified as 63-year-old Yussif Hawawu, a native of Tamale in the Northern Region.
According to officials, she collapsed and died on Thursday, May 15, 2025, while participating in the ritual of Tawaf—the ceremonial act of walking around the Kaaba inside the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque).
Ismaila Skones, the Administrator of the Ghana Hajj Task Force, confirmed her death and stated that Hajia Hawawu passed away while in the company of fellow Ghanaian pilgrims.
She was later buried in accordance with Islamic rites in Makkah.
While the Hajj Task Force extended condolences to the family of the late pilgrim and assured that health and safety measures were being upheld, the incident has further spotlighted a wave of dissatisfaction among Ghanaian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
This year’s Hajj, which has seen over 6,000 Ghanaian Muslims travelling to the Kingdom, has been marred by widespread complaints of poor planning and substandard accommodation.
The Hajj Task Force, set up by President John Dramani Mahama to replace the defunct Hajj Board, had earlier promised a high-quality experience for all pilgrims.
However, many Ghanaian pilgrims, particularly those from the northern sector, have taken to social media to voice frustration over what they describe as a betrayal of expectations.
Viral videos and posts have shown pilgrims expressing anger over overcrowded hotel rooms, inadequate sanitation facilities, and distant lodgings far from the Grand Mosque.
A well-known Islamic cleric from Tamale, Sheikh Hashim Ibn, lamented the dire conditions in a video that has since drawn public attention.
“I paid GH¢62,000 in cash from my sweat for Hajj 2025. I got here and ended up serving on the Da’awa Committee due to a lack of personnel. The hotel we’re in is far from the Haram, the lifts barely work, and the rooms are overcrowded,” he said.
According to Sheikh Ibn, the 10-storey hotel accommodates roughly 500 people with only two or three aging lifts, and the air conditioning is non-functional despite temperatures soaring above 45°C.
“There’s just one bathroom for every 8 to 10 people,” he added.
Some pilgrims have warned others back home to brace up for what they termed “unbearable conditions,” accusing the Hajj Task Force of failing to deliver value for money and leaving pilgrims to fend for themselves in a foreign land.
As the Ghanaian delegation continues with the spiritual rites of Hajj, many are calling for accountability from the authorities responsible for organizing the shambolic pilgrimage, urging a swift review of logistics, accommodations, and the general welfare of pilgrims to prevent future tragedies and discomfort.
