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The Chairman of the National Hajj Committee, Alhaji Alhassan Bene, has reiterated government�s commitment to organizing a successful hajj this year. According to him, government has secured funding solely for accommodation purposes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and stressed that, Ghanaians going on this year�s pilgrimage will be accommodated in blocks that will identify them as Ghanaians, so as to forestall the practice of other unscrupulous foreign nationals posing as Ghanaians. In an interview with the Independent in his office, Alhaji Bene disclose that, the HINI pandemic is speaking at a fast pace and called for the setting up of systems to fight it, saying, Ghana is no exception. For the same reason, the Saudi Arabian government is tightening security at its entry points, including airports, where all pilgrims would be landing to participate in this year�s hajj. He disclosed that, children below the age of 12 and the aged above 65, as well as pregnant women are considered to be among the vulnerable groups of this pandemic, and are therefore banned from attending this year�s pilgrimage. The Secretary to the National Hajj Chairman and an ace legal practitioner and senior research officer at CHRAJ, Muhammad Kpakpo Addo, also told The Independent that, the committee has established sub-committees on finance, health and others to enable the broad work efficiently. He added that, pilgrims would be quarantined before departure and if any person is found to be infected, he or she would not be allowed to embark on this year�s pilgrimage to Mecca. According to Lawyer Kpakpo Addo, the Hajj board is collaborating with the Ministry of health to ensure a swine-flu-free Hajj. On accommodation, Mr Addo debunked the notion that, this year�s hajj is going to go the same way like the camping of men and women at the same place, and explained that, the National Hajj Board has gone a step further to camp the pilgrims at the premises of the Hajj board and has provided them with mobile toilet facilities, medical personnel and security to ensure their safety. Both the Chairman and Secretary condemned the situation where pilgrims lose their luggage every year during the pilgrimage, and gave the assurance that, this year�s hajj will be free from the hassles previous pilgrims went through, including thievery and other forms of crimes. The Secretary further gave the assurance that, the Hajj board has put all measures in place to curb this problem by liaising with the airport authorities to ensure luggage safety.On the issue of whether the travel agent contracted for this year�s programme is trustworthy, the chairman, Alhaji Alhassan Bene pointed out that, trust is earned, and so he is willing to work with the agency until it proves otherwise. He further stated that, anyone who decides not to embark on the pilgrimage anymore should inform the Hajj board twenty-four hours before departure for his or her money to be refunded.�If anyone fails to follow this procedure, the Hajj board will not be able to refund the money to them,� he affirmed.