The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has singed a concessionary agreement on the Public-Private Partnership with DID Al Amanah on the development of over 500 shops in the Kano Hajj Camp market.
The agreement was signed in the Hajj House Boardroom, Abuja. The project had reached 80 per cent completion.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON Alhaji Zikirullah Kunle Hassan said since inauguration of the board, the commission had pursued the turning of waste-to-wealth projects vigorously.
He said plans are on to make NAHCON financial independent of government’s funds.
To achieve this, Alhaji Hassan said the commission needed to increase its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) under the Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The NAHCON boss expressed appreciation on the trust displayed by DID AL-Amana for partnering with NAHCON and commencing work even without signing of agreement.
He also hailed the NAHCON staff committee charged with the concession programme under the Chairmanship of Dr Ibrahim M. Sodangi.
Alhaji Kunle Hassan expressed confidence that the commission’s landed properties in Ilorin, Lagos and Maiduguri will soon follow on the development plan.
NAHCON Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai, said one of their priorities after taking over was deliberating on how to improve the Commission’s IGR.
“Due to the vast land and commercial activities in Kano, the center became first choice for this project and NAHCON appreciates ICRC for its zeal in making the project materialise. Our next project will be in Lagos,” Alhaji Yakasai said.
In another development, the Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) has congratulated the commission on the successful of this year’s hajj exercise.
MUSWEN President-General Alhaji Razak Oladejo said despite challenges, the commission did excellently well.
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Alhaji Oladejo urged the NAHCON boss to ensure uniformity in regulations and sanctions against defaulters.
Responding, Alhaji Hassan acknowledged that the emergency nature and challenges of this year’s Hajj was a learning curve for the commission.
NAHCON, he said, has commenced preparation for the next year’s Hajj.
On the Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS), Alhaji Hassan said it was bound to have some teething problems but expressed optimism that with time, the scheme would bring enormous benefit to the country.
He explained that in Malaysia and Indonesia where the scheme is in place, the profits from it had been used to subsidise the cost of Hajj.
According to him, the advantages of HSS would not be felt by NAHCON alone but the Muslim Ummah in the country.
The NAHCON CEO said that the Hajj Institute would formally be launched in three months’ time with President Muhammadu Buhari expected to declare the Institute opened.
Alhaji Hassan noted that he, commissioners and some management staff of the commission would form the first set of enrollees at the Institute.