Cleric Urges Wealthy Nigerians to Support Govt’s Efforts to Wipe out Poverty

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The National Amir and Spiritual Leader of Daaru-r-Rahmat (DARMAT) Islamic Society of Nigeria, Imam Muali Musbahudeen Olawale, has called on the wealthy individuals in the society to complement governments’ efforts to reduce poverty and boost economic empowerment.  

Olawale made the call in Ilorin during the weekend that this would also accelerate the socio wellbeing of the populace and reduce youths’ restiveness.

 Olawale who spoke on the sideline of the recent distributions of empowerment/financial support to widows, aged women and people with special needs by the Islamic group, said that no amount of financial support would be small at alleviating the people from poverty.

He said that “under the programme tagged ‘DARMAT Economic Empowerment Programme (DEEP),’ hundreds of unemployed and under employed women and youths were recruited for skills acquisition and  training in both domestic and technical trades.

“Such skills acquisition includes catering, tye and dye, soap making, hair dressing, fashion designing, event planning, decorations, among others.”

He also disclosed that over N1 million has been distributed annually to less privilege members, especially, widows and people with special needs to support their micro business enterprise under the DARMAT Social Welfare/ Investment package.

The cleric noted that “Nigerian society, will be better off, if those who are well endowed with enormous resources, can willingly invest in social welfare programmes for the betterment of the less endowed citizens.”

Olawale used the opportunity of the event to congratulate all Muslim Ummah on the recent celebration of the Eid Maolud.

Also speaking at the event, the General Secretary of the DARMAT Society, Mr AbdulGaniy Ishola, enjoined all the lucky beneficiaries of the two-in-one programmes to make the best of the opportunity provided by the society.

Ishola advised the participants of the skills acquisition training programme to be dedicated and committed to ensure the success of the training, so that other people could also benefit from the training opportunity.