By: Dawda Baldeh
Amidst reports of different travelling agencies collecting money from Gambians who intend to go to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj without processing their visas, the Ministry of Land, Regional Government and Religious Affairs and the National Hajj Commission have said only 12 agencies have been licensed to take pilgrims for the 2023 Hajj.
In a press release, the ministry said the 2000 pilgrims for Gambia’s 2023 Hajj quota have all obtained their Hajj visas and have successfully travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
However, the Ministry added that an agency identified as ‘HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ Gambia’, which claimed to be a Hajj and Umrah operator, has taken a significant amount of money from what was described as “innocent Gambians” with a promise of securing them Hajj visa as well transforming them to Hajj this year.
“The Ministry and Hajj Commission wishes to make it clear to the general public that HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ (Gambia) is not an official licensed operator for this year’s Hajj with the National Hajj Commission and is not operating within the Gambia’s 2023 Hajj quota of 2000 pilgrims,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to the Ministry, there are 12 agencies officially licensed as operators for this year’s Hajj.
Namely: CROSSBREED HOLDING COMPANY, ALHUDA TRAVEL,
CONTINENTAL TRAVEL, ALGASIMOU TRAVEL AGENCY, AMANA TRAVEL, BANJUL TRAVEL AGENCY, TIVAOUANE TRAVEL AND TOURS, ORBIT TRAVEL AGENCY, MAYA GLOBAL TRAVEL, TRAVEL EXPRESS AGENCY, ALFAZ TRAVEL AGENCY, and GAMBIA
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE (G.I.A.)
The ministry added: “Anyone who has effected payment for this year’s hajj to any agency other than the 12 agencies listed herein is simply not within the 2000 official pilgrim’s quota allocated to The Gambia by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the supervision of the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious
Affairs and the National Hajj Commission.”
They assured the public that they will liaise with relevant stakeholders to investigate this matter and take appropriate actions against anyone found wanting.
