NASFAT to BoI: Don’t exclude Muslims from your intervention programme

The Chief Missioner of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, has appealed to the federal government to prevail on the board and management of the Bank of Industry (BoI) not to exclude Muslims from its current intervention programme aimed at financially empowering Nigeria’s rural dwellers.

In a statement, Onike said Muslims, who, according to the dictates of their religion, must not be involved in any interest-based transactions, are being unknowingly edged out of one of the best initiatives of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

Daily Trust reports that The Rural Area Programme on Investment for Development (RAPID) initiative of the BoI attracts an interest rate of 5%.

“The initiative, whose objective is to assist communities in rural and economically disadvantaged areas to tap into available resources for the development of enterprises that can provide employment, improve standard of living, contribute to national growth and tame insecurity arising from youth restiveness, looks promising to provide economic inclusion, and the Muslims should not be shortchanged,” he said.

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Onike added that “One of the hallmarks of leadership is being fair to all and having listening ears. 

These attributes, which have been consistently demonstrated by the current president, have been reflected in his recent order for the review of the list of Nigeria’s higher institutions’ governing council, on the premise that the list is not inclusive and did not reflect the federal character law governing appointments in the country.

“Hence, the RAPID initiative and other such similar initiatives of the federal government, and other state and local governments, including the National Consumer Credit Scheme, must be designed to be inclusive and not to exclude Muslims,” he urged.