• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Home State Lagos Saves N4.5bn from Non-sponsorship of Religious Pilgrimage
  • State

Lagos Saves N4.5bn from Non-sponsorship of Religious Pilgrimage

By
Habib Aruna
-
April 23, 2018
Lagos
Akinwunmi-Ambode lagos Governor

Lagos Saves N4.5bn from Non-sponsorship of Religious Pilgrimage

The Lagos State Government saved a total of N4.5billion in the last three years as a result of the decision of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to stop the sponsorship of people for religious pilgrimage to Israel and Saudi Arabia, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef has said.

Speaking on Monday at the annual Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third year in office of Governor Ambode’s administration held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Abdullateef said funds saved from the development had been diverted into the construction of roads and other amenities to make life easier for residents.

“You see, yearly in the past before the present administration came on board, the State Government spent an average of N1.5billion to sponsor people to pilgrimage free of charge. But since Governor Ambode decided to stop the sponsorship of pilgrimage, we have saved N4.5billion in the last three years and the Governor has not changed his mind with regard to sponsorship of pilgrimages.

“What the Governor has said and we have been doing is that the State Government will provide for the welfare of the pilgrims; support them with medical tips; support them with clerics who would guide them to ensure that they are focused on the spiritual objectives of the pilgrimage and not something else.

“So far, the funds saved from this have been deployed for the construction of roads and other amenities to make life easier for residents,” Abdullateef said.

While alluding to the fact that some property owners were now converting their residential buildings into religious centres in order to avoid paying the Land Use Charge, the Commissioner warned those indulging in such to desist, saying that it was important for all to operate within the ambit of the law.

He said: “Do not convert your residential premises to religious premises. Many do that for the sake of being protected from paying their Land Use Charge and that will not be tolerated. Whatever we want to do, let us keep ourselves within the ambit of the law.

“As for those who are combining their residences with mosque or church, we are not going to demolish but what we said is that all residential premises are subject to Land Use Charge and so when officials of government come, don’t claim there is a mosque on the grand floor.

Read Also:

  • Anambra Guber Poll: INEC Deploys AI Virtual Assistant to Train Staff
  • ‘Tell Nigerians the Truth’: ADC Challenges Tinubu on Military Shake-Up
  • Oluyede, Shaibu, Aneke, Abbas: Faces, Records and Mission of Tinubu’s New Service Chiefs

Always know that as soon as your property is declared a residential block, you will pay Land Use Charge.”

The Commissioner said the State Government, through the Ministries of Home Affairs and Physical Planning, had also commenced moves to address the conversion of residential buildings to religious centres via engagement.

“It is a violation of the State regulations for residential buildings to be converted into religious centres. When a building is approved for a purpose, it is an aberration for you to now convert it into something else without the approval of the Ministry of Physical Planning.

“Recently, the Commissioner in the Ministry came to our Ministry and met with Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to devise new means of engaging religious leaders so that they will not unnecessarily violate the State building regulations,” Abdullateef said.

On noise pollution, the Commissioner said the Ministry had been working in concert with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) to address the menace especially through engagement with religious leaders.

“LASEPA is in charge of pollution generally but because we are very close with religious organizations, we work closely with LASEPA and so whenever there is any report of noise pollution by any religious body, just let us know in the Ministry of Home Affairs and we will deploy NIREC to address the situation immediately.

“What the Governor has done with NIREC is that it is not only about enforcement but engagement. When we engage them, we are able to sit down with them and through that we get a lot of result than just charging them to court or sealing their premises. We have worked effectively through NIREC to ensure that those ones who are creating nuisance in their environment are called to order and so whenever we have such cases; residents are enjoined to let us know in the Ministry,” the Commissioner said.

While reeling out achievements of the Ministry in the last one year, Abdullateef said through deliberate policies, the government was able to record high level of unprecedented peace and harmonious relationship amongst diverse groups, while a total of 13, 000 religious institutions were registered in the period under review, just as he urged others to register with government as it was at no cost to them.

SIGNED
HABIB ARUNA
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
APRIL 23, 2018

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Abdulhakeem Abdullateef
  • Akinwunmi Ambode
  • Bagauda Kaltho
  • Lagos
  • Nigeria
  • Religious Pilgrimage
Previous articleTroops Kill 6 Bandits in Kogi State
Next articlePolice Inaugurate Taskforce on Abuse of Spy Number in Abuja
Habib Aruna
Habib Aruna

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

PRNigeria logo fearured image

Tinubu’s Sudden Military Overhaul Rekindles Coup Fears, Public Reactions Flood Twitter

Anambra Guber Poll: INEC Deploys AI Virtual Assistant to Train Staff

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

‘Tell Nigerians the Truth’: ADC Challenges Tinubu on Military Shake-Up

Oluyede, Shaibu, Aneke, Abbas: Faces, Records and Mission of Tinubu’s New Service Chiefs

COAS Waidi Shuaibu: Profile of The Battlefield Strategist to  Redefine Nigerian Army Leadership

Things To Know About the New Chief of Naval Staff,  Rear Admiral Idi Abbas

PROFILE: Meet Nigeria’s 23rd Air Chief of Staff, AVM Sunday K. Aneke

MAJOR SHAKE-UP: Tinubu Replaces Service Chiefs, Retains CDI

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

JUST IN: Tinubu Appoints New Service Chiefs

CDCFIB

Board Fires 10 Immigration Officers, Sanctions 21 Others Over Various Offences

BUK Forum Praises Naziru Kankarofi’s Elevation to Commissioner of Police

CP Jimoh Present ₦24m in Cheques to Families of Fallen Police Officers in Lagos

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Recent Posts

  • Tinubu’s Sudden Military Overhaul Rekindles Coup Fears, Public Reactions Flood Twitter
  • Anambra Guber Poll: INEC Deploys AI Virtual Assistant to Train Staff
  • ‘Tell Nigerians the Truth’: ADC Challenges Tinubu on Military Shake-Up
  • Oluyede, Shaibu, Aneke, Abbas: Faces, Records and Mission of Tinubu’s New Service Chiefs
  • COAS Waidi Shuaibu: Profile of The Battlefield Strategist to  Redefine Nigerian Army Leadership
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Anambra Guber Poll: INEC Deploys AI Virtual Assistant to Train Staff'Tell Nigerians the Truth’: ADC Challenges Tinubu on Military Shake-UpOluyede, Shaibu, Aneke, Abbas: Faces, Records and Mission of Tinubu’s New Service ChiefsCOAS Waidi Shuaibu: Profile of The Battlefield Strategist to  Redefine Nigerian Army LeadershipThings To Know About the New Chief of Naval Staff,  Rear Admiral Idi AbbasPROFILE: Meet Nigeria's 23rd Air Chief of Staff, AVM Sunday K. AnekeNigeria's Removal from FATF Grey List, a Major Milestone in Economic Reform - TinubuMAJOR SHAKE-UP: Tinubu Replaces Service Chiefs, Retains CDIJUST IN: Tinubu Appoints New Service ChiefsBoard Fires 10 Immigration Officers, Sanctions 21 Others Over Various OffencesBUK Forum Praises Naziru Kankarofi’s Elevation to Commissioner of PoliceUNILAG Student Wins NECCI Essay as Minister Urges PR to Uphold Ethical GovernanceCP Jimoh Present ₦24m in Cheques to Families of Fallen Police Officers in LagosCampus Journalism Award, CTLI Partner to Boost Digital JournalismMilitary Foil ISWAP Ambushes, Recover Arms, Motorcycles in Magumeri Axis
X whatsapp