The proverbial saying, ‘…teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’ came to play on Sunday as one of the leading faith-based organisation’s in Nigeria, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, empowered 2,647 people with cash and working tools amounting to N220,348,391 under its 2019 zakat distribution.
The Executive Director of the Foundation, Prince Sulaiman Olagunju, made the disclosure at the grand finale of the 15th zakat distribution held at the Multi Purpose Hall of Alausa Mosque Secretariat, Lagos State, where 1,664 people received cash and various items totalling N167,374,712.
Prince Olagunju revealed that the amount of empowerment distribution this year in Lagos State is higher than that of last year by N25 million.
“I am pleased to inform you that the sum of N167,374,712 is being distributed to 1,664 beneficiaries in Lagos State, to formally end this year’s zakat distribution that began in June across the nation”.
Some of the items: [embedyt] https://youtu.be/A_8rQi4ymmQ [/embedyt]
“The amount being disbursed here today is about N25 million more than that of last year that stood at N142,938,905 in the state,’’ he said.
The Executive Director said that with the support of zakat payers and other well-spirited individuals, the foundation was able to increase the number of states where zakat was distributed from 17 in 2018 to 21 this year.
According to him, in 2019, the four new states where the foundation distributed Zakat funds in 2019 were Kogi, Nazarawa, Niger and Zamfara states.
“It is noteworthy that despite the economic situation of the country, we were able to move up zakat collection between the end of October 2018 and September 2019.
“The amount of Zakat disbursed so far this year across the 21 States, including the one being distributed today in Lagos, stands at N220,348,391 to 2647 beneficiaries.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Dr Tajudeen Yusuf, said that “the collection and distribution of zakat is an obligation that all Muslims owe to Allah.
“In the same vein, we as recipients, must see this as an opportunity to improve our circumstance from being needy to being on the path of prosperity’’.
Dr Tajudeen said that the activities of the foundation, as an NGO, is geared towards contributing to nation-building.
“Just like being experienced in the conventional tax collection, there is need to widen the zakat payers’ bracket”.
“There are still many able Muslims, who may not know that a foundation like ours exists who collect and distribute zakat”.
“It is, therefore, the duty of our current payers to introduce us to these categories of Muslims,’’ he said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Dr Abdullah Shuaib, Executive Director of Jaiz Charity Foundation, called for collaboration between the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation and Lagos State Government towards alleviating poverty among the populace.
He urged the foundation to liaise with the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in this regard.
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