The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON is believed to be in the heat of crisis following the extension by six months, of the tenure of the Commission’s Board, headed by Barrister Abdullah Mukhtar as chairman/Chief Executive.Our findings showed a memo from the Presidency granting the team extension of tenure. The letter extending the tenure emanated from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
A source in NAHCON said that the current chairman was first appointed into the commission in 2011, as Executive Commissioner in charge of Operations.
Quoting from a letter conveying Mukhtar’s appointment addressed to the Senate in April 2015, the source said that he was reappointed as “Chairman (to complete second term having served as Executive Commissioner (Operations) for one tenure),” which expired along with other commissioners in May 2015.
But forces pushing for a fresh term for the NAHCON chairman are misleading the Presidency to believe that he has just spent one term.
A memo from the office of the SGF, dated March 26, 2019, requested that the president approves six months tenure extension for all members of the board.
The memo reads in part: ”Upon a review of the submission of the chairman and the timing of the submission, I should observe that it will not be practicable to conclude the processes for a tenure renewal for the current team or the appointment of a new team before the expiration of their current tenure.
“Your Excellency, it is suggested that the tenure of the current chairman and members be extended by six months in acting capacity, within which period the commission must have been reconstituted, either by the current team for a second and final term or by new chairman and members.”
The source further noted that “following convincing arguments presented by the SGF, which included but not limited to the need to ensure there was no leadership vacuum and save 2019 hajj activities from any setback, the president was said to have given a blanket approval to the memo.”
But a certain Permanent Secretary in the office of the SGF, has since issued fresh appointment letters to some of the board members, while excluding others.
One of the appointment letters from the SGF office stated in clear terms that President Buhari approved the appointment for the official to be in an acting capacity and that it would be terminated once a new board is inaugurated.
A staff member at the commission said:“excluding some commissioners from the president’s approval of tenure extension for all members is an indication that some persons within the presidency are trying to test the resolve of the president.
“We are perplexed to see some commissioners glued to their seats after the expiration of their tenures.
“Two of the commissioners, including the chairman have served two terms. But when we heard they were given tenure extension for six months, we were happy because even though we want some of them to go, we still love to see some of them around. But we are not happy because those we love to see in NAHCON are the ones being denied tenure extension not by the president but some dubious persons.”
Source: Sunday Tribune.
