BREAKING NEWS, Religion
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IN its exemplary leadership style, transparency, accountability and ethical best practice, the Lagos State Government, early last month, commenced the process of refunding the sum of 50 million naira to the year 2015 hajj pilgrims for services not rendered during the hajj exercise.
AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, state commissioner for Home Affairs, disclosed this today at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa during the 2016 Ministerial Press briefing by the Lagos State Government in commemoration of the One Year in Office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
The Commissioner stated that the Fund was returned to the State Government by the Federal Government and that the Muslim Pilgrims Board has almost completed the refund of N16, 000 (Sixteen thousand naira) to each of the 3,047 Pilgrims who participated in the 2015 Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.
While soliciting for support of the developmental initiatives of the present administration through culture of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance among residents, AbdulLateef emphasized that the State Government under the leadership of Governor Ambode has no plan to license religious preachers as its being alleged in some quarters.
He, however, noted that an atmosphere of peace and tranquility is the bedrock for any sustainable societal growth and development in a cosmopolitan City like Lagos, which is why the state government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, is promoting peaceful, harmonious relationship among the diverse religious groups in the State as well as ensure the sustenance of peaceful co-existence among residents irrespective of their ethnic and religious persuasion.
The Commissioner stated that to this end, the Ministry has continued to operate a multi-prong approach strategy which includes a mix of public enlightenment campaign, sensitization and advocacy programmes against hate preaching and religious intolerance, some of which are already being implemented.
According to him, “Studies have established that most religious crises are ignited by unguarded preaching of hate messages by some overzealous religious leaders. Our Ministry has therefore, adopted a very strong stand against such messages.”
“Through constant advocacy, we hope to stop this unhealthy practice by appealing to the leadership of the various faiths using all related established platforms.”
— May 12, 2016 @ 17:20 GMT
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