ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • #EndSARS Dashboard
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Special Reports and Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • #PandoraPapers
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Special Reports and Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • #PandoraPapers
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Saudi deports first batch of detained female hajj pilgrims, 171 arrive Kano

FILE PHOTO: Many deportees went to Saudi Arabia as pilgrims

Governor Aliyu of Niger defends spending N5.1bn to subsidise pilgrimage to Mecca, Jerusalem

byPremium Times
May 31, 2013
2 min read

The Niger Governor said it was the only benefit some residents were getting from government.

The Niger State Government said on Friday it spent about N5.1 billion to subsidise both Muslim and Christian pilgrims from the state during the last six years.

The Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Shehu Haruna, announced this in Minna during the official opening of Tunga Juma’at Mosque.

He said that the money was spent on the provision of hotel accommodation for the pilgrims in the Holy land.

“The money was used to secure accommodation for pilgrims close to the Grand Mosque in Mecca so that they could perform their religious obligation with ease,” he said.

He added that part of the money was spent on “operational duties” for Muslim and Christian pilgrims in the Holy lands and in Nigeria.

Gov Babangida Aliyu, who defended the amount, said it was the only way some people would benefit from the government. Mr. Aliyu has been Niger Governor for the past six years.

He cited Fulani herdsmen as some people in the state who did not benefit from the provision of amenities by government.

“They do not benefit from the government electricity, housing, roads and other infrastructure; they only benefit directly from government through subsidy on pilgrimage,’’ he said.

While the Niger Governor defended the huge expenditure of religious pilgrimage, his Kano State counterpart has stopped the spending.

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso said Kano State has saved over N1 billion by not subsidizing or sponsoring religious pilgrimage.

“When we took this decision, many people shouted and even prayed against us. But we have saved money, which we spent on education, transportation and health,” the Kano Governor said.
“There is nowhere Islam allows for the removing of public funds to sponsor individuals on pilgrimages,” he added at the 30th memorial anniversary of Aminu Kano in April.
Despite their divergent views on use of state funds for religious pilgrimage, both Mr. Kwankwaso and Mr. Aliyu share a lot in common.

Both men are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, are currently undergoing their last term as governor, and are believed to be eyeing the Nigerian presidency come 2015.

The Edo State Governor, of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, also recently condemned the use of state funds for religious pilgrimage saying his administration would not do such.

Proliferation of Jumaa mosques

Mr. Aliyu also appealed to traditional rulers to check the proliferation of Juma’at Mosques in Niger State by regulating where they were to be sited, to ensure cohesion and unity among the Muslim Ummah. He said that government was prepared to enforce the traditional rulers’ position on the matter.
He warned that government would demolish any Mosque built illegally in any part of the state.

He said that government would spend money to fund the completion of Mosques and Churches provided the owners adhered to laid down rules of constructing such structures.

(NAN)

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023

CITIZEN-FM AD


Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: Why women cheat: what every Nigerian man should know







PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

We lose over N2.6bn annually to Niger Delta oil thieves- Shell

Next Post

Abuja to witness electricity interruption on Saturday – TCN

Premium Times

Premium Times

More News

The Lead Visioner, Lagos4Lagos Movement, Olajide Adediran (Jandor) on Wednesday clinched the PDP ticket for the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State.

Jandor clinches PDP guber ticket in Lagos

May 26, 2022
L-R: Isah Ashiru, Uba Sani and, Shehu Sani.

ANALYSIS: Kaduna 2023: El-Rufai’s anointed candidate and PDP’s many aspirants

May 25, 2022
The son of ex-governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and his son Mustapha Lamido. [CREDIT: Twitter handle of Mustapha Lamido]

Jigawa 2023: Sule Lamido’s son emerges PDP governorship candidate

May 25, 2022
The former Enugu State Commissioner for Fnance, Peter Mbah.

Enugu 2023: Peter Mbah wins PDP governorship primary

May 25, 2022
APC and PDP governorship aspirants in Oyo state.

2023: How Oyo APC, PDP governorship candidates will emerge

May 25, 2022
Nigeria's permanent representative to the UN, Tijjani Bande, and UNIABUJA vice-chancellor, Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, in the US.

UNIABUJA vice-chancellor seeks alumni support for university

May 25, 2022
Next Post
Shiroro Dam workers begin indefinite strike over severance benefits

Abuja to witness electricity interruption on Saturday - TCN

Keshi assures Eagles will be at South Africa 2013

10-man Mexico hold Eagles in Houston

Read All Comment

Search

AUN-PT Ad





Transport-Technology


Stanbic Ad


Access Bank Ad





Glo Ad


Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,848,030 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • #PandoraPapers
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • #EndSARS Dashboard
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
  • Opinion
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.