The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has raised concerns that Nigerians are suffering from the harsh economic climate, urging government at all levels to address the concerns of the citizens by making the environment more conducive to businesses.
The highest Islamic body in Nigeria made this call at the 10th meeting of the Expanded General Purpose Committee (EGPC) of NSCIA held in Abuja.
In a communiqué signed by the Deputy Secretary-General of NSCIA, Prof. Salisu Shehu, the body stated that the meeting, which was presided over the President-General of NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, urged governments across the three tiers to prioritise food security and education in order to safeguard the immediate and ultimate wellbeing of the citizens.
The group also advised the governments to immediately deflate the current unnecessary tension and unwarranted polarisation, noting that what is urgently needed are trust building, extensive consultation and mature, genuine dialogue on the tax reform bills before the National Assembly.
The NSCIA, however, commended the Federal Government, traditional and religious leaders for the remarkable decrease in cases of communal clashes across the country.
It encouraged Muslims to get involved in harnessing economic opportunities that would boost their financial independence and explore innovative ways of empowering the youth across the country.
Commenting on the issues of licencing of airstrip to religious leaders, the NSCIA called for the revocation of the private airstrip licence approved for a religious leader, describing it as “an aberration of the highest order that could threaten the peace and security of the country.”
The NSCIA, however, decried the non-recognition of Muslim marriage certificates by certain authorities within and outside Nigeria thereby compelling Muslim couples to supplement valid Islamic Marriage certificates with official marriage certificates.
The group urged Nigerians to be confident in a brighter future for the country and be grateful to Allah that though the situation requires improvement, it is not peculiar to the country; and prayed that the Almighty Allah continue to grant Nigerian leaders the wisdom and guidance to make life more abundant for the people.
The NSCIA resolved to educate the Muslim Ummah on the need to standardise the informal sector of the Nigerian economy such that the huge contributions of the informal sector to the economy would be appreciated and acknowledged in planning.
