Posted by By Gbenga Abiodun on
President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday handed over a cheque of N1.65billion to the newly constituted board of trustees of the National Mosque, Abuja.....
President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday handed over a cheque of N1.65billion to the newly constituted board of trustees of the National Mosque, Abuja. The board is under the chairmanship of His Eminence, Alhaji Mohammadu Maccido, the Sultan of Sokoto.
The money, is the total amount that has so far been collected out of over N2.5 billion that was pledged at a fund raising, in March last year, towards the rehabilitation and expansion of the mosque.
Inaugurating the 15-member board of the mosque at the Presidential Villa, President Obasanjo urged Sultan Maccido to ensure "as a matter of necessity that, the Board of Trustees of the National Mosque is duly incorporated in accordance with Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. The President said this is to enhance transparency, strict accountability and vest the board with legal personality.
The President, while referring to the National Mosque as a national edifice, said the fund was raised for the effective completion of the rehabilitation works and also to ensure provision of additional facilities for the mosque to serve as a centre for Islamic education.
As for the balance of the total pledges made at the fund raising ceremony, the President urged all those that made pledges for the rehabilitation of the Mosque to redeem their pledges as there is now a credible Board of Trustees that would ensure that their contributions are judiciously utilized for the purpose for which it was meant.
"Those who had previously entertained fear of possible mismanagement should rest assured that with the Board of eminent royal fathers and distinguished personalities, all will be well. No mortal should lie to God, the Creator", President Obasanjo said while urging the board not to let a single kobo slip by as they "must do everything possible, within the law, to ensure the redemption of all pledges".
Part of the eight terms of reference given to the newly constituted board include ; serving as custodian of all funds, assets and properties belonging to the National Mosque, to advise the National Mosque committee on investment options in respect of any asset or funds belonging to the mosque and to judiciously use available fund for the total rehabilitation and full completion of the development of the mosque. Others include to appoint a reputable Auditor for the funds and to render annual report with audited account and to render account of all monies spent in the course of the maintenance of the mosque or any expenditure incidental to it, among others.
Other members of the board include His Highness, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano; Dr. Lateef Adegbite, secretary general, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs; Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, governor of Nassarawa State; Malam Nassir el- Rufai, minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA); Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, head of civil service of Federation and Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata while Alhaji Mahmoud Sanusi is secretary to the board