Tigo offers call discount to Hajj pilgrims
Tigo, one of the telecommunications companies in Ghana, has slashed its international call rates to Saudi Arabia by 25 per cent for its prepaid customers embarking on this year’s Hajj, to enable them to communicate with their families and friends.
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This was disclosed by the International Business Manager of Tigo, Mr Abdul-Malik Adam at a media briefing at the Hajj Village in Accra Tuesday.
According to him, the package was introduced as part of the company’s corporate responsibility to ensure that their customers were updated on issues at home.
He indicated that all pilgrims in Saudi Arabia would benefit from the package, irrespective of the network they would be using in Saudi Arabia.
‘‘What you need is to be a Tigo subscriber in Ghana and sign on to any of the packages on offer by dialling *515# to be able to communicate with a party in Saudi Arabia,’’he explained.
Flights
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Hajj Board, Alhaji Mohammed Amin Lamptey, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said about 5,424 pilgrims were expected to embark on this year’s Hajj.
So far, 1,780 pilgrims have been airlifted to Saudi Arabia.
According to him, two flights were expected to convey pilgrims to Saudi Arabia Tuesday.
Challenges
The PRO said the major challenge his outfit was encountering was the issuance of passports since many pilgrims had still not received their passports even though their departure time was close.
He also indicated the problem of some recalcitrant pilgrims who had banned substances in their luggage in spite of several cautions by the board and said such items would be seized when discovered.
Alhaji Lamptey pointed out that there had been significant improvement in the organisation of the Hajj since the new Chairman of the Hajj Board, Alhaji Abubakar Tanko took office in 2013.
Hajj
The Hajj pilgrimage is an annual event where Muslims all over the world travel to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia to observe a ceremony which forms part of the five pillars of Islam.