PHOTOS: Tamale Airport gears up for historic Hajj flight

The refurbished Tamale Airport in the Northern region is gearing up for an historic flight Friday afternoon as Hajj pilgrims for the first time fly direct from their base to Saudi Arabia.

Some 500 pilgrims from the Brong Ahafo, Upper East and West, and Northern regions are currently going through boarding formalities for the Jeddah flight.

The new arrangement is expected to end the undue delay and inconveniences faced by the pilgrims when they converge in the capital Accra and air lifted from the Kotoka International Airport.

The visibly elated pilgrims have expressed gratitude to President John Mahama for “making this possible under his government.”

“We can’t thank God,” a pilgrim said. “Can’t you see everyone is happy? JM is a great man. The hustle is over.”

Mahama is expected in Tamale to see the pilgrims off.

In all, about 11 flights to the Saudi Arabia Kingdom have been scheduled from Ghana. About 1,500 people from the SADA zone are expected to converge at the Hajj Village (Jubilee Park), Tamale for the Holy journey.

Source: Ghana/starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Kent Mensah