By Mustapha Adamu
Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa has commended the outgoing Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad for the positive reformation of the commission.
The Senator also extolled the outgoing Chairman, for turning NAHCON “into a viable and independent establishment”, according to a statement by Fatima Sanda Usara,
Head, Public Affairs, NAHCON on Thursday.
Senator Bulkachuwa, as contained in the statement then called on the outgoing Chairman to consider himself a NAHCON member for life and not to turn his back on the commission for service and advice.
He described Hajj Affairs as a service to the Almighty and wherever one finds himself, one should serve the Almighty.
The statement said Senator Bulkachuwa made the commendation while presiding over the screening exercise conducted on Tuesday by his committee for President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees for 4th Board of the Hajj commission.
Barr. Abdullahui Mukhtar Muhammad praised the incoming Chairman as capable and well experienced in Hajj administration.
He equally praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his foresight and admonished the incoming board to commence work on 2020 Hajj immediately as Hajj is time-bound.
He prayed to the Almighty to assist them in the discharge of their duties. The outgoing chairman made these comments while reacting to questions by newsmen after screening of the Chairman designate.
At the commencement of the screening exercise, Senator Bulkachuwa explained that the exercise would have commenced before the break but for certain requirements that need to be fulfilled.
“However, he assured that the Committee has taken the extra burden of expediting action that would see to the quickest conclusion of the screening activity in order to submit its report in plenary for onward delivery to the presidency.
“To the new board, the Senate Committee Chairman enjoined them to consider his Committee as their partners and they will always be there to assist as well as advise them.
“Accompanying the nominated board members for the screening exercise was Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, the outgoing Chairman. Also accompanying the new board members was representative of the presidency in the National Assembly,” part of the statement reads.
In response to a question by Senator Sahabi Ya’u, the NAHCON Chairman designate, Barrister Dhikirullahi Hassan appreciated the level of achievement attained by the outgoing Chairman and promised to build on it.
He identified Hajj Savings Scheme, a plan already in an advanced stage, as a scheme that needs to take off soonest in order to stabilise Hajj fares in Nigeria.
Hajj Training Institute, another project whose foundation the outgoing Chairman has set in steady progress, will professionalise Hajj in Nigeria and beyond.
Therefore, the training institute is a vision the incoming Chairman would pursue to fruition. Barr. Hassan promised to study the possibility of reducing days spent in Saudi Arabia during Hajj as well as enforcing Hajj guidelines and dictates of the NAHCON Establishment Act.
INDEPENDENT HAJJ REPORTERS reports that the NAHCON 4th Board members screened were Barrister Dhikrullah Hassan as Chairman, Shehu Muhammad: representing Ministry of Aviation; ACG Aminu Bako Yarima: representing Nigerian Immigration Service, Pharmacist Zainab Ujudud Shariff: Ministry of Health; Nura Hassan Yakasai: Commissioner Policy, Personnel Management and Finance (PPMF).
Others include, Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa: Commissioner Operations; Sheikh Momoh Suleman: Commissioner, Planning Research, Statistics, Information and Library(PRISLS); Sadiq Musa: member South-South; Abba Jatau: Member North East; Ibrahim Nuhu: Board member from Central Bank; Garba Umar; member, North West.
The rest are Halima Jibril: member North Central; Dr Bala Muhammad: member Jama’atu Nasril Islam. Others are, Alhaja Basirat Olayinka: South West; and Yusuf Nwoha: Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Ibrahim Ogbonnia Amah: South East.
