By Salisu Sani-Idris
Alhaji Jalal Arabi, the newly appointed Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has promised to reposition the commission to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Arabi made the promise while addressing the management and staff of the commission when he assumed office at the Nigerian Hajj House, on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said, ” The time has come for us to turn a new page. The Renew Hope Agenda is genuine. I don’t need to labour it. It’s genuine.
” You all know and I believe all of you can attest that when President Bola Tinubu was going around with some of us it was a privilege to go round with him and with those that spoke on our behalf.
” There was a pledge and indeed a promise at that stage that things will be better and of course in nature certainly there has to be change.
” And change must address things that have gone bad but of course that you want to reposition and you move forward and I believe I need your cooperation in that regard.”
Arabi, who solicited the cooperation of the staff and management of the commission, advised those who are not ready to make sacrifices towards the success of the commission to take their leave.
He added, ” But a constitutional provision has come in here, there is a freedom of choice. If you feel that the style is too taught for you or you can’t handle it by all means you will be at liberty.
” We will help you to even open the door because we have our system and we can slow down on that.
Arabi, who said trust, sacrifice would be his cardinal principles, noted that conducting the affairs of hajj was a trust.
He said, ” If we can all reflect to imagine one of the fundamentals of our religion in Islam that requires much more physical than all the others is hajj.
” So for us to be so chosen and privileged to come and participate in the discharge of that responsibility certainly makes us the chosen ones.”
” And I feel it is an opportunity that we shouldn’t allow sleep from.
We have our vision, we have our mission and I know it has been pursued vigorously before now.
” But certainly there is always room for improvement in whatever endeavours one finds himself.”
Earlier, the outgoing Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, while congratulating Arabi said that Arabi assumed office at its critical time.
Hassan was represented by Alhaji Nura Yakasai, outgoing Commissioner, Policy, Personnel Management and Finance of the commission.
He said, ” On behalf of the staff and management of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) I want to use this opportunity to welcome the new chairman of the commission in person Alhaji Jalal Arabi.
” You step into the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) at a critical time. Why did I say critical time? You came actually when all the preparations for the 2024 Hajj have already started.
” And unfortunately also this time around the period or time given by the Saudi authorities is different from the traditional one, where we have sufficient time to do whatever we want to do.
” That is to arrange. Unfortunately, you have a very short time. The only assurance that I will give you is that you have a capable staff here that can assist you succeed.”
Arabi was accompanied by the former Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, and Alhaji Aliyu Modibbo, Special Adviser to the President on General Duties, Office of the Vice- President and other dignitaries. (NAN)
