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President John Dramani Mahama has called on the National Hajj Committee to expedite action on the construction of the makeshift Hajj Village in Tamale in order to facilitate the activities of prospective pilgrims. He said the first flight for Muslim pilgrims would start on September 29 and it would be important to complete the Village to reduce the perennial congestion and delays that the pilgrims go through during the Hajj. President Mahama who is in Tamale to visit the flood areas in the Northern and Upper East Regions, made this call when he inspected the Village near the Tamale Airport to assess the progress of work on the facility. Government at the beginning of the year announced the decentralization of the Hajj villages in view of the perennial challenges the National Hajj Committee had encountered in transporting prospective pilgrims to Accra enroute to Mecca. The establishment of the Village would create an opportunity for prospective pilgrims in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and parts of the Brong Ahafo Regions to be lifted from Tamale to Mecca. President Mahama said the government would continue to put up measures that would facilitate the pilgrimage and called on all prospective pilgrims to pay for their tickets early to give the government a fair knowledge of the number of people embarking on the pilgrimage. The clearance of the Village grounds is completed, but yet to be completed are the ablution centre, places of convenience, offices for the Ghana Immigration Service staff and the Hajj Committee, a temporary clinic and other essential facilities. President Mahama appealed to the National Hajj Committee to assess the facilities and make recommendations to the government in terms of facilities required to ensure the success of the Hajj. Mr Nasamu Asibigi, Deputy Northern Regional Minister and a member of the Hajj committee, said the Village would be completed before the beginning of the Hajj.