…Majority and Minority parties are working like one big family
… Clears air on donation of burial items to his Constituents
Folusho Alade, Abuja
Senate Minority Whip, Senator Rufai Hanga (NNPP Kano) has said the 10th Senate led by Senator Godswill Akpabio can be described as one big family because the working relationship between the Majority and Minority parties is cordial.
The Senator disclosed this during an interactive section with members of National Assembly New Media Forum in his office at National Assembly Complex , Abuja on Thursday.
Commending the leadership policy of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio since the inception of the 10th Senate, the lawmaker representing Kano Central senatorial district said though the majority party may have their ways most times the minority parties also have their voices heard in terms of legislative duties.
Responding to criticisms over his recent donations of 2,000 clay pots, 10,500 yards of white cloth, and other burial items to Muslim graveyards across his constituency, Senator Hanga stated that the donations were borne out of charity and personal gestures aimed at honouring age long family traditions and not his constituency projects as being erroneously reported in various media platforms.
The Senator emphasised that his donations were intended to please God and seek His eternal reward, stating that the critics are either his opponents or people ignorant of his tradition.
In his words : “This has been a legacy that I grew up with and inherited. It’s a practice I hope to sustain for as long as I live. You can only criticize what you don’t know. Those people talking bad about my donations are either my opponents or people that are not from here, who don’t understand our tradition.
“Once a person dies, it is expected that the person should be buried immediately. But I have discovered that some people who loose their loved ones, will start going around seeking for donation for burial. So, I have stepped in to solve that problem,” Hanga stated.
The donations, which were distributed across 15 local government areas in the Kano Central senatorial zone, had drawn significant attention and some negative feedback from the general public, who claimed the gesture was a misuse of public funds.
Elaborating further on the donations, Hanga said “These materials were not part of any constituency project, but a personal initiative I have been committed to, even before my election.
“For my constituency projects, I have started with underground work providing start-up capitals for some women especially widows, provided relief materials during Ramadan, and also given towards Education
Senator Hanga also detailed the practical needs the burial donations met, explained that the clay pots were crucial for maintaining the graveyards, a need that had been identified by the Kano State Committee for the Graveyards.
“We had found out that clay pots were lacking in most of our graveyards and decided to donate,” he explained, noting that the committee is chaired by Dangoribar Kano and the District Head of Tarauni in the Kano Emirate.
Speaking on his constituency projects, the lawmaker said that he distributed JAMB scratch cards to 1,135 students at no cost, enabling them to take the university entrance examination.
He also said that he provided 10,000 books and various learning materials to primary school pupils to enhance their educational resources.
Senator Hanga said that he has paid registration fees amounting to N45 million for 200 indigent students of Bayero University, Kano (BUK). He maintained that the gesture is to demonstrate his commitment to supporting education in Kano State.
He further stated that had also awarded scholarships to no fewer than 200 students from the area at Kano State Polytechnic.
According to him, “These initiatives indicate Hanga’s dedication to empowering students and promoting education in my constituency”
“I have also empowered 1,116 women across the 15 Local Government Areas of Kano Central with a capital of N50,000.”
He hinted that the move was to enable them to start small businesses which will enhance their economic status.
Aside from that “This is in addition to free medical outreach for treatment of people for various diseases which I sponsored across the 15 Local Government Areas and 172 wards.
“I also repaired boreholes to address water scarcity in my constituency’’.
” I built an Islamiyya school at Gobirawa ward in Dala Local Government Area and donated one plot of land to Maikalwa community of Kumbotso Local Government Area to expand their mosque,” Hanga said.
