No fewer than 306 beneficiaries on Saturday benefitted from the zakat distribution by the Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) in Lagos State of items and cash worth N55 million.
The money was collected from payers of zakat and sadaqat for distribution to the less privileged with a view to eradicating poverty.
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The Chairman of the Lekki Muslim Zakat and Sadaqat Committee and member of the Board of Trustees of LEMU, Alhaji Yunus Olalekan Saliu, said that there was a significant increase in the beneficiaries compared to 226 the who benefited last year when over N60m was collected from zakat payers.
According to him, the increase in the number of this year’s recipients “is undoubtedly a reflection of the present harsh economic condition in Nigeria, characterised by the continuous freefall of the value of the naira, coupled with a high rate of inflation thereby making life unbearable for many.
“The reality is that there is a phenomenal increase in the number of people living below the poverty line, with consequent widespread hunger and anger in the land.”
The beneficiaries were categorised into empowerment/poverty alleviation comprising 261 beneficiaries who got N38.9m; health and well-being with 11 beneficiaries who got N2.7m; 18 people got educational support/scholarship worth N4.2m; four beneficiaries got N574,800 for debt settlement, while 12 people got N2.1m for accommodation.
Other items distributed included 50 chest coolers; 20 sewing machines; three grinding machines; two laptops; four generators; one camera and one shoe-making machine.
The Chief Imam of the Lekki Central Mosque, Sheikh Ridwan Jamiu, while stressing the importance of zakat, said it was an essential element of eradicating poverty and bridging the gap between the rich and the poor as stipulated in Islamic jurisprudence.
He noted that there was no harm in policing the beneficiaries to ensure they didn’t lavish or divert the funds.
He, therefore, urged artisans and craftsmen among the beneficiaries to go for mentoring and ensure the all-around development of their crafts.
