FCT Minister Commends NAHCON Leadership for Achievements So Far
by Taiwo H
A team from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) led by its Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan paid a familiarization visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Musa Bello in his office in Abuja, Thursday, 11thFebruary 2021.
The visit, according to Alhaji Kunle Hassan was to formally introduce the fourth board of NAHCON to the FCT Minister being the pioneer leader of, in Alhaji Hassan’s words, “modern Hajj management” in Nigeria. The Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, in the company of his three permanent commissioners, explained another purpose of the visit, which was to solicit the FCT minister for advice in running affairs of the commission being a member of the modern industry ab initio.
Alhaji Hassan capitalized on the opportunity offered by the visit to brief the minister on the fourth board’s activities so far. Among these are implementation and progress of Hajj Savings Scheme; establishment of Hajj Training Institute; NAHCON’s Digital Transformation drive; expanding the Commission’s Internally Generated Revenue outlets and concern for staff welfare. He sought the Honourable Minister’s cooperation to look into NAHCON’s land application tendered since 2017 through the Commission’s Cooperative Society.
Responding, Mallam Musa Bello commended the fourth NAHCON Board for its great feat within a very short time. He reiterated that the Hajj Savings Scheme is indeed the way to go bearing in mind its multiple advantages especially to the rural populace. He advised the NAHCON leadership to cooperate with especially states’ pilgrims’ boards and other stakeholders in the Hajj industry. He thanked the NAHCON management for the visit.
Rekindling memory of his first and second term in NAHCON, the Honourable Minister disclosed that the focus of his board at the time he chaired NAHCON was to bring sanity and stability to Hajj affairs in Nigeria. The challenges his board faced were huge thus their goal then was for modern Hajj management to materialize. It was upon this accomplishment that the 3rdboard progressed. He commended the Abdullahi Mukhtar led administration for transforming Hajj tremendously, describing it as a tremendous job. He called upon the fourth board to also build from where the former management stopped. Finally, the Minister promised to look into NAHCON’s request and assured of the Ministry’s assistance where necessary.
