By Alim Jalloh – 3rd August 2019
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has bid farewell to about 900 Sierra Leoneans who will be observing this year’s pilgrimage in the Holy City Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Saturday 3rd August 2019 in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Addressing pilgrims at the Siaka Stevens Stadium, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio congratulated the pilgrims in advance on this year’s pilgrimage and stated that he was delighted to bid them farewell on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone.
He encouraged them to be good ambassadors of Sierra Leone in the Holy City of Mecca and be prepared for the challenges ahead of them. He also admonished them to follow the instructions of the authorities accompanying them so they can perform their pilgrimage successfully. His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio reminded the pilgrims that before now, there was always chaos and scandal in the preparation for the Islamic pilgrimage but since taking over last year sanity has returned to the organisation of the pilgrimage.
His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio requested the pilgrims to pray for the country and for them to pray with him at State House on their return from pilgrimage so they can share the blessings of the pilgrimage with him.
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio concluded his farewell message by thanking the Hon. Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh for his leadership on the hajj preparation, the Hon Minister and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs and members of the Hajj Committee for a successful preparation of this year’s Hajj.
The first batch of the pilgrims will depart Lungi International Airport on Sunday 4th August and the second batch of the pilgrims will depart on Monday 5th August. The pilgrims will be expected to arrive at the Jeddah International Airport from where they will be transported to the Holy City of Mecca. The pilgrims will be expected to return to Sierra Leone first week September after performing the pilgrimage.
