By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed has dispelled the rumour making the rounds that his administration would abolish Traditional Qur’anic Schools (Tsangaya) and Modern Qur’anic Schools (Tahfiz & Islamiyya) in Bauchi state.
He said however, that the state government is against street begging and Almajiri system, but not the Tsangaya education which the state ministry of education and the government are working assiduously to make sure they are made more functional and useful to the society.
Speaking while inaugurating a state committee that would organize national Qur’anic recitation competition in Bauchi weekend, the governor explained that traditional and modern Qur’anic schools provides the avenues for the learning and socialization through which delegates that participate in the Qur’anic competition are being produced.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity to disclaim the rumour making the round that the state government would abolish this type of schools, but the government is against street begging and Almajirai, not the Tsangaya education”.
Senator Bala Mohammed described Musabaqa as a process of training the Muslims, particularly the young ones the correct reading, recitation and memorization of the Glorious Qur’an with its translation.
Mohammed told the committee to which the state government approved the sum of N100 million out of the N153 million proposal submitted to it for organizing the event that this is the third time Bauchi is hosting the national competition since its inception in the country in 1986.
He assured that Bauchi would organize the best ever national Musabaqa which would for a long time be remembered and the most successful one by God’s grace, noting that hosting of the 36th edition of the n Musabaqa by the state in collaboration with Othman Dan-Fodio University, Sokoto is a challenge and opportunity for them to organize the best ever national competition.
He enumerated the 56-member Local Organizing Committee of the competition under the chairmanship of former Grand Khadi, Abdullahi Yakubu Marafa with Mallam Manu Gadau as Secretary to which Bauchi Ministry of Religious Affairs and Othman Dan-Fodio University proposed N153m while the state government doled out N100m, with the balance to be solicited elsewhere.
Governor Bala also gave terms of reference of the committee as to make a fair, realistic and details budget of the financial implications of the event and forward to the state government after its inauguration, ensure successful hosting of the 36th edition of the Musabaqa in collaboration with the Sokoto University.
It is also to liaise with individuals, corporate organizations and stakeholders within and outside the state and solicit for their contributions to complement the funding of the programme, and ensure the provision of adequate security, healthcare and welfare services to organizers, judges and participants, guests and the general public throughout the period of the event.
Mohammed said the committee is also to ensure judicious utilization of the funds provided, and write and submit to government a comprehensive report on the programme within two weeks after the completion of the event which will commence on the 18th and end on 20th October, 2022.
Responding, after the committee’s inauguration, its chairman, Abdullahi Yakubu Marafa assured that they would bring the qualities of hard work, transparency, fairness and fear of Allah to which tract records they were appointed in the discharge of the assignment towards its successful hosting.
Marafa said that the joy in life is not about to be happy, but how people are happy with a person, and thanked the government for the confidence it has in them for the selection to work for the state, stressing that they would exercise the spirit of support, cooperation and team work in undertaking the assignment.
“May Allah give us a key to every closed door, a light to every darkness, a way out of every difficulty and answer to all our prayers”, Khadi Abdullahi Marafa concluded.
Five women including the commissioner of women affairs and social development, Bauchi state FOMWAN Amirah, and the Special Adviser to the governor on media and publicity formed the 56th members of the committee which was initially pegged at 50 with state chairmen of PDP and APC inclusive.
