The 2018 Annual Qur’an Recitation Competition has opened in Bauchi state on Monday.
Declaring the competition open, the state governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, said the State Government has released N20 million for the Qur’an Recitation Competition.
Abubakar, who was represented by the Commissioner of Education, Professor Haruna Dan Wanka, said the competition is a one-week annual event introduced by the state to groom talents for both national and international competitions.
He added that the government was committed to sustain the annual competition and is also making efforts to reform Tsangaya and Islamic schools across the state.
He called on wealthy individuals in the state to join hands with the state government in promoting the competition.
In his address, Chairman of the Competition Committee, Dr. Zubairu Madaki, said the N20 million was for the purchase of prizes for the winners.
“Bauchi State Government approved the sum of N20 million for the purpose of purchasing prizes for outstanding performance by the competitors.
“There are 60 prizes in all and in a week’s time we will bring them here and give to the winners at the closing ceremony,” he said.
According to him, 240 people, 12 drawn from each of the 20 Local government areas of the state are participating in the competition.
Madaki disclosed that four brand new vehicles, four new tricycles, 24 new boxer motorcycles, 14 bicycles and 14 sets of Shadda material valued at N210, 000 will be won by winners.
“These prizes are not meant to pay the competitors because you cannot pay the Qur’an. They are meant to encourage them to be more diligent,” he said.
The competition chairman disclosed that first position winners in the last three competitions represented the country at international level.
He said since the committee was inaugurated by the governor about four years ago, a Bauchi indigene came first at the National Competition in Lafiya, Nasarawa state, while another Bauchi indigene came first at Ilorin, Kwara state just as another indigene came first in Katsina state last year.
He added that the three winners represented Nigeria at international competitions in Kuwait, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, among others and won prizes.
Madaki appealed to the state government to increase the amount spent on the prizes to encourage more people to participate.
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