The ministry of social welfare has in a press release issued out on Thursday 7 July 2022 stated that about 130 intending pilgrims from Sierra Leone couldn’t make it to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2022 Hajj.

According to the Ministry of Social Welfare, 270 pilgrims departed today 7 July 2022, and are expected to join the 680 pilgrims who are already in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia performing the Hajj.

The Ministry said they were faced with compliance issues and E-Visa processes and therefore apologize to the intending pilgrims who couldn’t travel and their families.

The ministry added that However, due to the overwhelming challenges of this year’s Hajj arrangements relating specifically to compliance issues and E-Visa processes, 91% of the intending pilgrims including all the women registered and processed by the Ministry of Social Welfare made trip to the Holy Land of Mecca.

The statement when on to state that In that regard, the Ministry would like to apologies to all intending pilgrims and their families who could not answer to the call of Allah by performing the fifth pillar of Islam “Hajj”. The Ministry will take necessary steps to engage these intending pilgrims as soon as possible.

Read full statement;

The Ministry of Social Welfare wishes to inform the general public that today, 270 pilgrims departed the Lungi International Airport, to join the already 680 Sierra Leone pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj.

However, due to the overwhelming challenges of this year’s Hajj arrangements relating specifically to compliance issues and E-Visa processes, 91% of the intending pilgrims including all the women registered and processed by the Ministry of Social Welfare made trip to the Holy Land of Mecca

In that regard, the Ministry would like to apologies to all intending pilgrims and their families who could not answer to the call of Allah by performing the fifth pillar of Islam “Hajj”. The Ministry will take necessary steps to engage these intending pilgrims as soon as possible.

The Ministry extends its profound appreciation to intending pilgrims, their families and the general public for their understanding particularly against the backdrop of the enormous difficulties encountered in this year’s hajj by so many African countries including Sierra Leone.