By Shuaibu Zubair Tatu , Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu has promised to construct a befitting office secretarial to Hisbah in the State in order to continue to support its activities in sanitizing the society of social vices.
Bagudu made the pledge yesterday in Birnin Kebbi as the Special Guest of honor at the launching of appeal fund to raise Sixty Two million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Five Thousand Naira for building of office, purchase of busses, motorcycles and communication gadgets for Hisbah division of Birnin Kebbi local Government Area of Kebbi State.
” I will liaise with the State House of Assembly to ensure that funds were made available for the construction of the office Secretariat for Hisbah and i also call on the well to do individuals in the society to emulate such a noble course. The Ministry of Lands and Housing should immediate allocate land to Hisbah for the construction of the Secretariat.
” Hisbah needs to be thanked, commended and sometimes we need to be sympathetic to them regarding the job they do even with challenges “, he said .
The Governor commended the efforts of the religious body in its efforts of getting rid of societal vices and instilling morality into the fabric of the society even with the financial and operational challenges it is facing in the discharge of its function.
He pointed out that, the effort and humanitarian work of Hisbah such as recovery of thrown away babies, dealing with cases of drug abuse, prostitution and other social vices was sometimes unnoticed by the public. He called for public support to Hisbah in its quest to instlling discipline , morality and strengthening community security.
The governor charged Islamic scholars and the citizenry to always alert the government on proper ways to deal with any matter both at state and local government level with a view to entrenching accountability and good governance
”Religious leaders have an obligation to advise the government to provide the basic needs of people and the same time enlighten the public on the proper manner to engage the government”, he said .
He said the account books of state government were open for scrutiny on finances acruing to the state and that the money belongs to the general public not civil servants alone stressing that religious bodies and the public have the right to find out what accrues to the government and also seek for assistance from such funds.
Gov. Bagudu while making elaborate explanation on amount the state receives from the federation account said that 96 percent of the money which entered the state coffers emanated from the federation allocation and bulk of that amount is being spent on monthly payment of salary and pension.
Earlier, the Director Hisbah in the state, Abubakar Muhammad thanked the state governor for his continuous financial support to Hisbah since he assumed duty as the governor in 2015 .
Muhammad traced the history of establishment of Hisbah in the State, saying it was set up since 2001among other things to protect lives and property of people, instil discipline and fight immorality within the society .
He said some of the challenges facing the Hisbah committee included lack of permanent office accommodation, lack vehicles, uniforms and communication gadgets.
The guest speaker at the occasion, Shiek Abubakar Abdullahi Giro while commending the governor for supporting religious activities in the state, described Bagudu as unbiased leader who do not discriminate between religious groups/sects in the state.
Giro called on all and sundry to assist Hisbah in entrenching discipline in the society in line with Islamic ideals .
The Islamic cleric advised people to reduce over dependence on government , shun idleness and take advantage of governor Bagudu’s agricultural agenda to engage in farming andbsmall scale bussiness in the state.
Both the Chairman of Birnin Kebbi local Government Area, Hon. Aminu Ahmad and Hisbah Kebbi State Commandant, Alhaji Suleman Ahmad thanked the governor and all those who contributed for success of the appeal fund.
The Authority gathered that over 6 million naira cash was realized while over 2 million were pledges. The highest donation of 1.5 million was made by Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro ( Enabo), Personnel Assistant to the governor who also donated a vehicle, 10 handsets,10,000 blocks and promised to sink 2 boreholes.
Others who donated 1 million naira each included Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Alhaji Bello Bagudu, Wakilin Gwandu and Alhaji Ibrahim Bagudu, while Dr.Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, the wife of Kebbi Governor, Alhaji Suleman Muhammad Argungu, the Chief of Staff, Dr.Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, National President of NUT,and Alhaji Abba Aliero donated 500,000 each . Also Khadimiyya Foundation donated 3 motorcycles and Alhaji Hassan Altine , one motorcycle .
