Africa-Press – Gambia. Ebrima Sillah, The Gambia’s Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, has responded to mounting concerns about the welfare of Gambian pilgrims currently in Makkah for the Hajj. Speaking during an interview with Peter Gomez, Minister Sillah assured the public that the government is fully engaged in addressing the situation and urged caution regarding misinformation being spread online.
“Yes, this is a concern, but in some cases also we do have a lot of misinformation in social media,” he stated. “Where a lot of people pick their stories. And I have also heard voice notes from supposedly different people. I cannot verify whether those people are in Makkah or not, but what I can say is that I know the minister and the hajj commission and the ministry and the entire government are on top of this,” he said.
Minister Sillah, who himself performed Hajj in 2022, acknowledged that food-related complaints are common. However, he explained that the meals provided are specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs of pilgrims in Mecca’s harsh climate.
“This food is meant to help you build fiber and also other nutrients in your body so that first you will not have to suffer from diarrhea or dehydration, and most of us in this country are not used to those type of foods, but they are extremely very healthy,” he said
He further explained that the meals served to Gambian pilgrims are similar to those provided to pilgrims from other nations. “Knowing what I know and what I have been told and what I have been asking around, the food that is given to Gambian pilgrims is what is normally given to most other pilgrims as breakfast, because first it has to help you to ensure that you do not dehydrate, and then you don’t also suffer from diarrhea that is critical in hajj,” he said.
Addressing additional concerns, Sillah acknowledged reports that some pilgrims were dissatisfied with the taste of the water. While emphasizing that such issues are not being dismissed, he reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all pilgrims.
“We have doctors on the ground; we have highly experienced Hajj guides that work with the pilgrims, I doubt whether those people will see people in jeopardy or in danger, and they leave them in that situation without attending to them,” he said.
The Minister also dismissed speculation about political motivations behind the complaints, stating that any issues should not be seen through a partisan lens. He recalled that during his 2022 pilgrimage, some operators expressed dissatisfaction with arrangements made by the Hajj Commission, a sentiment that may persist this year.
He pointed to changes in the management of VIP services as a potential source of frustration among stakeholders.
“This year also, I think the arrangement has been that the hotel that has been chosen has VIP facilities, and some of the operators what they have been used to is that they will have special places where they will put their own VIPs in and those people will pay extra for those services, this year I think that has not been made possible,” he said.
In a positive development, Minister Sillah revealed that arrangements have been made for Gambian cooks to accompany the pilgrims. “But I heard that some Gambian cooks have also been arranged to travel with the pilgrims to cook for those that want to eat Gambian food,” he said.
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