The Sokoto State Government has approved monthly allowances for Imams, their deputies, and Mu’azzins across the state, alongside fresh allocations to Jumu’at Mosques, as part of efforts to strengthen Islamic propagation and Qur’anic memorisation among children.
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Abubakar Bawa, Director General of Media and Publicity at the Sokoto Government House.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu announced the measures at the graduation ceremony of 111 Qur’an memorisers from the Sokoto branch of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation.
According to him, the allowances and allocations will enable clerics to carry out their duties effectively while promoting the continued growth of Islamic teachings in the state.
“We have also introduced monthly cash allocations to all our Jumu’at Mosques, ranging from ₦300,000 to ₦500,000 depending on their category.
In addition, monthly allowances have been introduced for Imams, their deputies, and Mu’azzins across the state to support them in the discharge of their duties,” the governor said.
Aliyu stressed that Islamic affairs remain central to his administration’s “Nine-point Smart Agenda,” ranking only behind security. He further noted that encouraging Qur’anic memorisation would help nurture a new generation of children who uphold the values and teachings of Islam in line with the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
He also directed the management of the religious school to secure land for a permanent site, pledging that the state government would provide full support.
At the event, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, commended Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi for establishing the foundation and lauded Islamic scholars in the state for promoting peace and unity through Islamic teachings.
Former Sokoto governor, Aliyu Wamakko, represented by Aminu Sufi, encouraged parents to guide their children towards Qur’anic memorisation, while Senator Abdulaziz Yari, represented by Lawal Liman, pledged sustained support for the foundation. Yari also announced a donation of ₦22 million and food items to the graduands and the school.
The school proprietor, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, represented by his son Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, explained that the foundation’s expansion to other states was aimed at providing structured Qur’anic education and reducing the menace of street begging among children.
During the ceremony, each of the 111 graduands received ₦20,000 and clothing materials from the Sokoto State Government. The programme ended with Qur’anic recitations and the presentation of prizes.
