Of Nigeria’s hajj commission and tenure of its officers

THERE is no shame in not knowing; the shame lies in not finding out – Rusian Proverb.

ON Thursday, 24 May 2007, in Abuja, hajj administration in Nigeria was established on a pillar of law and defined regulations. That day, the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, inaugurated members of the board of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). Hajj operations took an upward swing since that historic day.

The members of the NAHCON board inaugurated that day are Alhaji Muhammed Musa Bello, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) (Chairman/Chief Executive Officer), Alhaji Liadi Tella and Dr Badmus O. Yusuf (full-time commissioners), Sheikh Adams Idoko (part-time member representing South East zone), Alhaja Fatimah Oyekan (part-time member representing South West zone), Alhaji Ahmed Efebili (part-time member representing South-South zone), Sheikh Musa Isa (part-time member representing North Central zone), Alhaji Salisu Ado Shinkafi from the North West and Hajiya Hannatu Sanda Birma from the North East.

In the second paragraph of his speech on the occasion, the then SGF said: “The Constitution of Nigeria, the enabling Act of the commission as well as Public Service Rules and Financial Regulations are the vital documents that would guide the operations of the Commission.” Here, it is clearly stated that the hajj commission is a child of legal surgery and must be guided by the enabling law and not prejudice.

The fourth paragraph of the speech highlighted the administrative life span of occupant of each office: “The Act that established the commission is very clear about your tenure and responsibilities. You are expected to serve for a period of four (4) years in the first instance, renewable for a second and final term of four years.”

Furthermore, NAHCON ACT 2006 separated the office of the chairman as a distinct office from the three permanent commissioners. Office of the chairman as the chief accounting officer is not the same as the office of permanent commissioners as contained in NAHCON establishment Act.

On the composition of the commission, Section 3 (1) states that the commission shall consist of (a) the chairman who shall be: (i) the chief executive and accounting officer of the commission; (ii) Responsible for the commission for the day to day management of the commission.”

This is followed by Section 3 sub-section (b) which provides that three full-term members and six part-time members represent two geopolitical zones, two of whom shall be women.

Section 3 (a), sub-section 1 and 2 defines the office of chairman while Section 3 (B) deals with the appointment of permanent commissioners.

This shows that there is a clear difference between the office of the chairman of NAHCON and that of the permanent commissioners.

Consequently, whoever occupies the office of permanent commissioner for eight years can be appointed as chairman for another eight years. That is the position of NAHCON Establishment Act 2006.

Moreover, the current acting chairman and the commissioner in charge of operation have served only one term in office, respectively.

Their reappointment in acting capacity falls within the scope of NAHCON Act as they can still be considered for another term (second-term) of four years or be allowed to operate pending when new boards are constituted.

Likewise, the 1999 Constitution forbids anyone who has served as executive governor of a state for two terms of four years (eight years) from contesting for governor for another term. However, no law in Nigeria prevents someone who has served as a state deputy governor for eight years from serving as executive governor for four or eight years.

Moreover, President Muhamadu Buhari’s administrative policies have been that of consolidation of service delivery through ministries, departments and agencies. This commendable vision saw the second coming of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Elias Mbam, was also reappointed due to his good record.

The current acting chairman of NAHCON, Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammed and his team are widely acknowledged as the engine of the moving transformation vehicle in NAHCON in the last eight years. They deserve a second term to consolidate their achievements.

Section 20(1) of the National Hajj Commission Act 2006 places the supervision of the commission under the presidency, and if the presidency, whose responsibility it is to supervise NAHCON, says it is satisfied with the status quo, so be it.

Muhammed is the national coordinator of the Independent Hajj Reporters.