LAGOS: Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama said his government was looking to collaborate with the Saudi Arabia government to increase the Hajj pilgrimage quota for Muslims in the West African country from the current 6,000 to 10,000 pilgrims next year. He said with diligence and proper organization, Muslims traveling on pilgrimage from Ghana had increased from 3,400 in 2009 to 5,700 this year and there was a need to increase the quota to “create opportunities for more Muslims to visit the holy land.” Mahama announced this when he visited pilgrims at their relocated Hajj village near the Accra Polo Grounds here Monday. So far, four batches of the pilgrims have already enplaned to Mecca for the performance of their Hajj, while others are expected to also travel in the next few days to meet the deadline. President Mahama advised the Muslims to uphold the image and reputation of Ghana by avoiding negative practices which could undermine their mission for visiting the holy land. “I want all of you to go and portray yourselves as law-abiding Ghanaians, which will continue to raise the image of Ghana in the outside world in the coming years.” He also appealed to them, during their pilgrimage, to pray for peaceful elections in Ghana in December this year.
