The Ghana Hajj Board has confirmed the deaths of seven Ghanaian pilgrims participating in the 2025 Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia.
Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, Alhaji Collins Dauda, confirmed this in a recent interview expressing his profound condolences.
According to him, the deceased made up of five women and two men don’t have their identities publicly disclosed.
The Board has however assured that all affected families in Ghana have been informed of the unfortunate events.
He also stated that Hajj Board officials would visit the bereaved families in Ghana at an appropriate time to commiserate with them.
“Unfortunately, for the 2025 pilgrimage, we have lost seven of our compatriots. Deaths are painful, but death will come when it has to come and therefore, regrettably, as the case is, we take the opportunity to express our deepest condolences to the families back in Ghana who have been affected in this case,” Alhaji Dauda said.
He also stated that in line with Islamic principles, all seven deceased individuals have since been buried in Saudi Arabia, a standard practice for pilgrims who pass away during the Hajj.
This year, Ghana dispatched a contingent of over 6,000 pilgrims to Mecca, joining over 2 million Muslims worldwide for the annual pilgrimage.
The Hajj, a physically demanding spiritual journey, is often conducted under extreme weather conditions.
Reports from Mecca this year indicated scorching temperatures, frequently exceeding 48°C during the peak ritual days, posing significant health risks to pilgrims, especially the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions.
Despite these challenging circumstances, the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage has seen a remarkable reduction in Ghanaian fatalities compared to previous years.
Alhaji Dauda highlighted that the current figure of seven deaths represents a drastic decline from the 17 reported in the 2024 pilgrimage, marking a ~59% reduction in fatalities.
The Hajj Board chairman attributed this improved safety record to robust protocols implemented in close collaboration with Saudi authorities.
