By Buba Gagigo
The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, and the National Hajj Commission have announced that they will be investigating HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ. The press release stated that the Ministry and the Hajj Commission will be liaising with relevant stakeholders to gather information and take appropriate actions.
“The General Public is hereby assured that the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, and the National Hajj Commission will liaise with relevant stakeholders to investigate this matter and appropriate actions will be taken against anyone found wanting,” they said.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Gambia Hajj Commission announced in the joint press release that 12 agencies have been officially licensed as operators for this year’s Hajj. The twelve licensed agencies are:
- Crossbreed Holding Company
- Alhuda Travel
- Continental Travel
- Algassimou Travel Agency
- Amanah Travel
- Banjul Travel Agency
- Tivaouane Travel and Tours
- Orbit Travel Agency
- Maya Global Travel
- Travel Express Agency
- Alfaz Travel Agency
- Gambia International Airline (GIA)
The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs and the National Hajj Commission in the press statement said that only pilgrims who have paid for their hajj through one of the 12 licensed agencies listed above are within the 2000 official pilgrim quota allocated to The Gambia by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The statement went on to reiterate the Ministry and Hajj Commission’s stance that HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ (Gambia) is not an officially licensed Hajj operator in the Gambia and is not partaking in the Gambia’s 2000 pilgrim quota for 2023.
“It has unfortunately come to our attention that one agency called HULOOL UMRAH & HAJJ (Gambia) claimed to be a Hajj and Umrah operator had taken a significant amount of money from innocent Gambians with a promise of securing them a Hajj visa as well as transporting them for Hajj this year. The Ministry and Hajj Commission wish 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 statement went on to assure the public that all Gambian pilgrims who booked their Hajj through the twelve licensed agencies are already in Saudi Arabia.
“The Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs and the National Hajj Commission on behalf of the Government of the Republic of the Gambia also notified the general public that the official 2000 pilgrims for Gambia’s 2023 Hajj quota have all obtained their Hajj visas and have all
successfully traveled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” They stated in the press release.