The National Hajj Board has announced that the fare for this year’s  Hajj pilgrimage is GHȼ19,000.00, an equivalent of $3,750.00 dollars.

The board arrived at the decision in collaboration with Pilgrimage Affairs Office of Ghana ( PAOG), urging  would-be pilgrims  to pay in time.

The cost represent a 30% increment of the fare, amid struggle of the Ghana cedi against the dollar.

Government has for the past two years absorbed the fare, pegging it at GHC15000.

It is not immediately known what informed Government failure to absorb the Ghc4500 as it did in previous years.

Ghana according to the Pilgrimage Affairs Office of Ghana has been allotted sixty slots for this year's pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

At an announcement in Accra Wednesday, the Chairman of the Hajj Board, Sheikh I.C Quaye, urged would-be pilgrims to hasten and pay their fares with their respective hajj agents as the deadline for payment has been fixed on the 30th April, 2019.

" Pilgrims can now start paying their hajj fares to avoid last minute rush " he noted.

He added that the fare should have been more than the agreed fare but it's due to government's intervention hence arriving on the Ghc 19500, equivalent to USD 3500.

Sheikh I. C Quaye promised that this year's hajj service shall be among the best of the best from the PAOG.

He also warned would be pilgrims to be careful not to deal with roadside agents who would promise them protocol slots. " It's only the government that can guarantee pilgrims protocol slots".

On his part, the chairman for the Hajj Agents Association, Alhaji Issah Umar urged pilgrims to contact their respective hajj agents to start paying their fares. Board and the Hajj Agents Association of Ghana.