By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
No fewer than 1,176 Orphans in Sokoto state benefitted from N317.7 million International Islamic Relief Organization(IIRO) assistance disbursed Friday by Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti Corruption.
The benefiting orphans,comprising of males and females, were drawn from the twenty three local governments of the state.
Speaking at the colourful ceremony, Wamakko who traced the history, said the programme started with the recruitment of the orphans in 2009.
Wamakko represented by the former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, added, ” the Organization is a reputable donor Organization that has executed many projects in our state.
” They include building of Islamiya Schools , construction of Mosques and giving assistance to the needy, in many ways.
” The Organization has come to implement the programme of giving scholarship to these orphans, which will serve as an assistance to enable the orphans pursue education in their chosen career .
” This is for them to be educated, self reliant and useful members of the society .”
The Sokoto North Senatorial District lawmaker and former governor further reminded guardians of the benefiting orphans to have the fear of Allah and apply the grants judiciously for what it was meant for, adding ” we should remember that, we will account for our deeds in the hereafter. I also like to call on all of us to dedicate whatever is within our means to assist orphans, widow’s and the less privileged in our society. No amount is too little if given for the sake of Allah.”
He further commended the Organization, domiciled in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the invaluable gesture and for all other projects cited in Sokoto State while appealing to the organization, not to relent in the remarkable gesture, even as he requested for more projects and programmes to be brought to the state.
The Representative of the Organization, Huzaifa Tahir, said that, the assistance was for the 2011, 2012 and 2013.
According to him, the remaining arrears from 2014, will be disbursed to the beneficiaries in no distant future .
The Guest Speaker, Sheikh Yahuza Shehu Tambuwal, Chief Imam of Uthman bin Affan Jumaat Mosque, Sokoto, admonished the Muslim Ummah to routinely assist the orphans, as enshrined in Islam,
All the Speakers commended Senator Wamakko for bringing the Organization to Sokoto State when he was the Governor of the state, while they lauded organization for the gesture.
Spokerspersons of the beneficiaries, Ahmad Umar and Safiya Babuga, commended Senator Wamakko and the organization for the gesture, which would greatly boost their education.
They also promised to use the funds for the purpose they are meant for .
The beneficiaries were given a minimum of N 200,000 and a maximum of over N 400,000.
