Shettima inaugurates NAHCON board, tasks members on fresh ideas

Vice President Kashim Shettima, yesterday, inaugurated the newly-constituted board of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) with a call on the new management to introduce innovations in hajj operations in Nigeria.

Shettima, during the inauguration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, urged members to synergise and bring fresh perspectives to the operations of the commission.

According to him, serving on the NAHCON board is very important.

He said: “For you, beyond your appointment, it is a win-win situation because if you serve the pilgrims well, Almighty Allah will compensate you in the year after. So, it is more of a religious duty than an administrative function.

“The President deliberately picked people with diverse backgrounds and untainted by the past so that they can bring fresh perspectives and innovations to hajj operations in Nigeria and also interrogate the management structure of the organisation and bring out the best from members of staff.”

The Vice President particularly urged the new management to improve on the hajj savings scheme to boost the number of pilgrims participating in the exercise across the country.

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the new board, Malam Jalal Arabi, applauded the Federal Government for finding them worthy of service to the nation through the NAHCON board.

He said that the new board would work as a team to improve hajj operations in Nigeria.

The NAHCON CEO said his team had already commenced work with a visit to Saudi Arabia to inspect facilities ahead of the forthcoming operations.

The newly constituted board comprises Aliu Abdulrazaq (Commissioner, Policy, Personnel, & Finance), Anofi Elegushi (Commissioner, Operations) and Prof. Abubakar A. Yagawal (Commissioner, Planning & Research).

The zonal and stakeholder representatives include Dr Muhammad Umaru Ndagi (North Central), Abba Jato Kala (North East), Sheikh Muhammad Bin Othman (North West), Tajudeen Oladejo Abefe (South West), Aishat Obi Ahmed (South East), Zainab Musa (South South), Prof. Musa Inuwa Fodio (Jama’atul Nasril Islam) and Prof. Adedimizi Mahfouz Adebola (Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs).