*Atiku enjoins Nigerians to up charity
*Makinde calls for increased prayers, good neighbourliness
*Katsina purchases N10bn grains for 2.1m residents
Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Francis Sardauna in Katsina, Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, yesterday, said the crescent for the commencement of the Ramadan fasting had been sighted.
Abubakar, in a broadcast last night, said Muslims in the country should commence fasting today, March 11.
The sultan said the announcement followed reports of moon sighting received from Islamic scholars and organisations from across the country. He said the reports were duly "authenticated and verified" by the states and national moon sighting committees.
He stated, "Consequently, tomorrow (today), the 11th day of March 2024, becomes the first day of Ramadan 1445 after Hijra.
"We, therefore, call on all Muslims to commence fasting accordingly. We call on all Muslims to use this holy month to pray to Allah in guiding the affairs of our great country.
"We appeal to the well-meaning individuals amongst us to assist the vulnerable and the poor people with food during this holy month of Ramadan to ease the hardship people are going through. May Allah reward us for our ibadah with Jannatul Firdaus, Ameen."
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month for fasting, prayer, reflection and assisting the needy.
Atiku enjoined the Muslim faithful in the country to assume Ramadan by seeking Allah's mercy and forgiveness, especially extending charity to the less-privileged.
A press statement from the Atiku media office on Sunday, said by the sighting of the Ramadan moon, "Muslims across the world, especially in Nigeria, should spend more time supplicating to God for His mercy on the country and on us as individuals."
The statement said, "The month of Ramadan is a mercy from God upon humanity and all those, who partake of the fasting. It is for that reason that the Almighty also enjoins us to show more love to one another and deepen our charity in the holy month."
The sultan stated that while this year's Ramadan was happening at a time when there was acute hardship in the country, "it, therefor, becomes more important for those with means to ensure that they extend their charity far greater than the previous years."
Atiku further enjoined every Muslim to be steadfast in the requirements of this holy month and pray that the Almighty Allah shall shower His mercy and blessings on Nigeria and guide the country to increased prosperity and peace, during and after the Ramadan period.
Oyo State Governor 'Seyi Makinde congratulated the Muslim Ummah in the state and across the world on the commencement of the month of Ramadan 1445.
Makinde described the holy month as a blessed month in which Allah rewarded the worship of the Muslim Ummah. He charged Muslims to increase their prayers for the country and the state.
He called for increased prayers for the country amid the economic hardship facing the people, stating that though leaders have been doing everything to turn the situation around, prayers are of greater essence at this time.
Makinde equally charged Muslims around the world to demonstrate the lessons of love, kindness and good neighbourliness, as taught by Prophet Mohammed. He admonished those who had enough to remember their neighbours, as many people were going through hard times.
Makinde said his administration had been doing everything possible to mitigate the effects of the economic hardship and would not relent until life became better for all residents of the state.
Katsina State Government, in collaboration with the state's 34 local governments, allocated N10 billion for the purchase of grains for distribution to its vulnerable residents during the holy month of Ramadan.
Governor Dikko Umar Radda disclosed this while inaugurating the state and local governments committees that would oversee the distribution of the grains to beneficiaries.
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Radda, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the initiative aimed at feeding 2,166,000 people throughout the duration of this year's Ramadan.
He said the state government, through the initiative, would be feeding 72,200 people each day of the Ramadan. "This translates into providing food assistance to approximately 2.1 million residents throughout the month of Ramadan."
He explained that the government had also subsidised the price of maize, millet, and guinea corn to N20, 000 per bag for 400,000 households, representing a significant reduction from the current market rates.
To ensure equitable access to the grains, Radda said the government had capped the purchase of the subsidised grains at 10 measures per buyer across the state. He directed the local government committees to remit proceeds from grains sales to the state committee for deposit into the government accounts to ensure accountability.
