IT wasn’t a mistake or for any selfish interest that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration appointed one of the most adorned illustrious sons of Bauchi State, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji SAN as the 5th Registrar-General of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in 2023.
It was from a result of thorough and careful search for one of the best brains laced with dedication and patriotism that can transform the Commission into a global giant within the expectation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The administration chose to settle for another legal luminary with a credible record within the legal profession, general acceptability to lead the Commission out of doldrums to avail his wealth of experience and patriotism for the good of service to father land.
True to their thinking and rating, within his 365 days as the Registrar-General, he realized without a motivated working staff, his transformation initiative of the Commission may hit the rocks.
He therefore, introduced certain policies as backup to his initiative in the task of transforming the Commission to a viable entity that can favorably compete with its global peers.
He inherited a demoralized workforce, frustrated and threatened with a bleak future that affected output and commitment to the success of the Commission.
Determined to change the inherited trend, Barr Magaji took his time to study the appalling situation for immediate solution to serve as his launching pad for transformation in a Renewed Hope Agenda.
CAC management under his leadership promoted eight (8) Directors, 16 deputy directors, 22 assistant directors, 38 principal managers, 61 senior managers as well as some stagnated junior officers to various cadres within the service, settled the backlog of 2021 and 2022 promotion
arrears, settled all outstanding exit benefits and inherited outstanding claims of staff and approved and extended the threshold of staff loan with flexible terms spiced with zero interest just within one year.
Not only that, it reviewed and terminated pending disciplinary cases against some erring staff and gave them a benefit of a second chance. That was a gesture extended to inject commitment to service for optimum output while all instituted cases between staff and the Commission were amicably settled out of court to rebuild confidence as well as all labor union related issues were addressed and industrial harmony restored tailored to better service delivery.
Salary disparity in CAC was abolished between staff at state offices and the national headquarters while the management for the first time in the history of the Commission, recognized diligent service offered by staff and Excellence Award Certificates were awarded to 59 staff to encourage better output.
In order to cushion the effect of economic hardship that may affect productivity, CAC management for the first time introduced Staff Food Welfare Support Programme and made it a policy for implementation twice every year, while a waiver on interest of accessed staff loans was extended to cushion the negative effect of economic reforms ongoing in the country, and approval was given for two working days at the comfort of staff home to save the staff from the harsh economic reform while over 500 members of staff including drivers and cleaners were given local training geared to commitment to effective service delivery as others had the opportunity for international training in various countries.
To achieve his aim of transforming the Commission without any stone unturned that may be a stumbling block to success Barr Magaji procured additional operational vehicles which resulted in unprecedented revenue growth never experienced by the Commission in the first three months in office of the Registrar-General as well as converting contract staff to permanent and pensionable status for their safety and maximum productivity.
Moving on the fastest lane, the Barr Magaji led management rolled out the 101 services and products available to CAC as enshrined in CAMA 2020 for patronage by members of the public.
Prior to that development, such products only existed on paper without the knowledge and awareness of the public while the role of staff at state offices was converted to Enforcement Officers with an attached mandate to enforce compliance of statutory obligations on registered entities.
In his determination to avail the services of CAC to wider communities, additional offices were opened in Mararraba of Nasarawa state and Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory as service centres for revenue generation, as other areas in Lagos, Ogun and Zaria in Kaduna state may soon witness same development.
Determined to save the Nigerian economy from dubiousness by operators, over 4000 Bureau De Change companies that lost their licences from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were deregistered as well as deregistering of over 200,000 dormant companies that were tools in the hands of criminals hitherto perpetrating crimes untracked and untraced.
Apart from other policies and initiatives introduced and implemented, the Registrar-General has so far proven to be the awaited messiah at CAC who has so far transformed the Commission to one of the leading revenue generation organizations of the federal government.
As a good student of philanthropy, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji SAN, naturally became an avid apostle of human development and community service. His personality drive is passionate and consummate. His set square goal is a novel replica of past and present patriots who left and leaving their indelible foot-prints in public and private lives.
The Registrar-General is often calibrated for his complete spirit of team work. View the legal luminary from whatever sphere of life, one may discover in him so many attributes much similar to past nationalists of repute.
From his simplicity to his enviable character, he displays an excellent personality in action who dedicates himself to serving Nigeria without strings.
Once more, each contact with him leaves one with an infallible streak of pleasant memory of his un-telling hospitality and gestures.
Nigerians and a host of other nationalities, drive a great deal of inspiration from his behaviors and standpoint.
Of course, great men are not born but they invent themselves. In principle, Magaji has fostered himself on the paths of excellence, with an indomitable passion to service.
Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State, enunciates further; “Hussaini Ishaq Magaji SAN as one of Bauchi State’s illustrious sons, is endowed with all the attributes of a good leader and team player in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led federal government with passion and total commitment to the success of the administration he serves from all fronts
“This manifests on a daily basis in his leadership style in CAC. He is a caring leader to his subordinates and several communities and magnanimous to a fault from general assessment. He is a good ambassador of Bauchi State in the federal government assignment he handles. We are all proud of his loyalty to the administration he serves, his stewardship to Nigerian state and immense contributions to the stability of the national economy.”
