By OUR REPORTER
The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Jos North Local Government Area, has organised a one-day capacity-building workshop for members of its newly inaugurated Executive Council to strengthen leadership capacity and improve service delivery to the Muslim community.
The workshop, held on Monday at the JNI Board Room in Jos, focused on strategic planning, financial accountability, organisational management and spiritual resilience.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Chairman of JNI Jos North, Engr. Muhammad Narkuta, explained that the training was organised in response to suggestions made during the council’s inaugural Executive Council meeting.
He said the workshop was designed to equip members for effective leadership, urging them to put the knowledge gained into practice.
“The training was aimed at equipping members with the knowledge and skills required for effective leadership,” he said, adding that participants should “translate the lessons learned into practical actions in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to them.”
Delivering a paper titled, ‘Strategic Planning for Development: From Amana to Impact’, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Barakah Development Centre Ltd., Imam Ibrahim, urged the council to work with relevant authorities to tackle youth unemployment, drug abuse, weaknesses in the education system and poor administrative record-keeping.
He also encouraged members to “build on the organisation’s strengths and available opportunities while deliberately addressing its weaknesses and mitigating potential threats through strategic planning.”
Speaking on, ‘Effective Ways of Handling Finances and Investment’, former Zonal Manager of First Bank, Alhaji Sani Tanko, said JNI must establish sustainable sources of income to support its activities.
“JNI must create sustainable avenues for generating income, as organisational progress depends on finances,” he said.
Tanko further advised the organisation to “open different bank accounts to prevent unjust spending and ensure proper checks.”
He stressed that “financial accountability is not just an administrative duty but an act of Ibadah and a sacred trust,” adding that “all responsibilities should be carried out with sincerity, transparency, honesty, and fear of Allah.”
He also recommended the appointment of an auditor to ensure proper monitoring and accountability, while urging that all revenues be paid directly into the organisation’s account.
Presenting a paper titled, ‘Patience and Perseverance in the Cause of Allah’, the Da’awa Chairman of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Dr Nazif Yunus, underscored the need for patience while serving the cause of Allah.
He said, “the relationship between members and the organisation should be mutually beneficial,” explaining that “while members work for JNI, the organisation should also work for the welfare of the Muslim community.”
Yunus also advised the council to “establish and maintain comprehensive records of all JNI assets to ensure accountability and continuity.”
In a goodwill message, the Chief Imam of Sultan Bello Mosque, Kaduna, Suleman Adam, urged the council to “develop viable community projects and present them to well-meaning individuals willing to support such initiatives fisabilillah.”
He also encouraged JNI Jos North to identify potential benefactors capable of providing financial support, stressing that “prudent investments are essential for achieving financial independence and sustaining the organisation’s activities.”
Representing the Chairman of JNI Plateau State and Emir of Wase, Alhaji Muhammadu Haruna, the State Secretary of JNI, Dr Salim Umar, commended the initiative, describing JNI Jos North as “a role model to other branches.”
He urged members of the new Executive Council to confront “the growing challenge of divisive tendencies and hate mongering within the Muslim community,” while encouraging them to “remain steadfast, united, and committed to the responsibilities entrusted to them.”
At the end of the workshop, participants resolved to implement the recommendations and lessons from the seminar to strengthen the activities of JNI Jos North and enhance its service delivery for the benefit of the Muslim Ummah and the wider society.