Saturday, January 6, 2018

Nigeria has no business funding pilgrimages, says lawyer 

• Bauchi Releases N17m For Quran Recitation
A lawyer, Mr. Leonard Anyogo, has called on federal and state governments to stop using public funds to finance pilgrimages.

He said such funds should be used in developing the country rather than waste them on personal business.

Speaking, yesterday, the constitutional lawyer said: “My appeal to the Federal Government is that it should reassess this practice, because it is not in the overall interest of the country. If anybody wants to foster his spiritual life, it should be his personal business and not involve public funds.

“It is difficult to understand why government should fund pilgrimages. This makes some people feel others are given more priority than others. We need money to fix basic infrastructure.”

He said: “The earlier we stop this sort of sponsorship, the better for the country.”

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State government has released N17 million to organise the 2018 Quran recitation competition.

The chairman of the organising committee, Dr. Zubeiru Madaki, announced this yesterday, in Kirfi, Bauchi State, at the inauguration of the 32nd edition of the competition.

Madaki, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), explained that the money was meant for the purchase of cars and other items to be presented to participants as gifts at the end of the one-week event.

He said each of the participating 20 local governments would present 12 participants. He said some of the prizes to be won include four cars, four tricycles, 24 motorcycles, 14 sewing machines and 14 bicycles.

He commended the state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, for supporting the event.

The governor, represented by the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Dr. Damuna Kawuwa, declared the competition open.

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