BAUCHI STATE MINISTRY FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS AND SOCIETAL REORIENTATION, REITERATES COMMITMENT TO SUSTAIN RELIGIOUS HARMONY IN THE STATE.
By Amina Umar:
Bauchi State Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Societal Reorientation, . Yakubu Ibrahim Hamza has assured that the ministry will do everything possible to sustain religious harmony in the state.
The Commissioner who stated this in a key note address he delivered at an event held in Bauchi, said, it is true that eighty percent of indigenous population of Bauchi state are Muslims but the twenty percent also have a right over the goodies of the state, hence the need for the establishment of the ministry by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed to bring religions under a single umbrella.
Yakubu Ibrahim Hamza assured that the state government is ever ready to enter into agreement with the various religious organizations across the state to promote harmony.
He revealed,that Governor Bala Mohammed had last year presented one hundred million naira as Christmas gift and ninety point five million naira for the Maulud this year.
Meanwhile, A Non-Governmental Organization, ”Search for Common Ground” has advocated for economic and livelihood intervention on young people for the benefit of the larger society.
According to the NGO, the Bauchi state government’s contribution in that direction has been very positive and receptive with a lot of interactions and consultation meetings as well as guidance from the government.
The Search for Common Ground Country Director, Hajiya Fatima Abubakar while speaking in Bauchi at an event on Nigerian Youth Collective Action for Religious Engagement: National Dissemination of Baseline Study Report, explained that the intervention also entails actors contribution in carrying out initiatives, as it similarly open doors for high level advocacy.
Hajiya Fatima Danlami who gave an overview of the project objectives, said it is to promote interstate level advocacy to enhance freedom of religion and belief, and promote peaceful co-existence and harmony in Bauchi state.
The National Human Rights Commission at the occasion described as very fundamental the rights to religious tolerance as enshrined in section 38 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and universal declaration of human rights.
