By Aaron Bundu Lahai-Head of Media & Public Relations
The Honourable Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Tuesday 27th May 2025, bade farewell to over six hundred pilgrims expected to leave Sierra Leone between Wednesday to Friday this week for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Vice President Jalloh admonished the pilgrims to know that they are travelling to Saudi to perform religious rites and not to complain about their rights especially when it comes to food supply, encouraging them to manage the food given to them during their stay.
He further encouraged pilgrims to be tolerant to other pilgrims sharing the same rooms, and observe all healthy living conditions such as tidiness to receive the blessings they have traveled for.
He called on the pilgrims to help one another, support and look for each other especially the aged in need.
Vice President Jalloh implored the pilgrims to abide by the rules and regulations instituted by the Saudi Government for pilgrims such as wearing of identification tags or bracelets, buttressing that identification materials given to them be used always to avoid being embarrassed by the authorities in Saudi.
He encouraged the pilgrims to work with the representatives of the Presidential Hajj Taskforce and the Sierra Leone Embassy staff in Saudi for any emerging problems.
He informed the pilgrims and family members that this year’s Hajj is at the stage where people are no longer worried about their travelling on the eve of the journey.
He highlighted the series of transformation that have taken place with the Hajj process since he was appointed by President Julius Maada Bio to lead Hajj affairs, such reforms including bringing order into the Hajj process, ensuring that debts owed the banks by the Government of Sierra Leone for Hajj are paid, and the increase in scholarships.
He explained that scholarship relating to Hajj means the provision of fund by Arab countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that provided one hundred scholarships, and the kingdom of Morocco that provided fifty scholarships to the Government of Sierra Leone for the 2025 Hajj.
The Honourable Vice President further explained that scholarships are meant for people who cannot afford to pay the cost to perform Hajj, and for people working for Government or their relatives.
He thanked President Bio, the Saudi Government, and the Kingdom of Morocco for supporting the Muslim Jamaat in Sierra Leone. He also thanked the Saudi Government for providing the one hundred scholarships, describing this year’s scholarship as the highest since the Bio administration came to power in 2018. He hoped for the continuation in the provision of huge scholarships from the Saudi Government to the Government of Sierra Leone.
He informed about Government’s effort to ensure that more Muslims get the opportunities to perform Hajj at a low cost, disclosing about the non-deduction of tax on Hajj fees, the payments of fees by the Government of Sierra Leone such as the bus and medical in Saudi Arabia, reiterating that such payments are the contribution of the Government of Sierra Leone to the Hajj process compared to other countries were pilgrims pay money for those services.
The Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karmity, expressed delight to see the 2025 Hajj process concluding.
She disclosed the robust system now put in place to address the challenges that were associated with organizing Hajj process in Sierra Leone before now.
She lauded the King and the Government of Saudi Arabia for supporting the Government of Sierra Leone with scholarships.
The Saudi Arabia Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Ali Ibrahim Alheji, told the gathering that it is an honour to be part of the farewell ceremony, adding that the ceremony marks his second time to attend such an occasion.
He congratulated the pilgrims for the opportunities they have to perform the 2025 Hajj, and assured them that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided all necessary facilities to maintain the pilgrims’ security and safety.
