The Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria for the inclusion of non-Interest version in its intervention programmes.
The commendation was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy secretary-general of the council Professor Salisu Shehu.
In the statement, NSCIA urged teeming Muslims population who constitutes more than half of Nigeria’s population to seize the opportunity and partake in the programme with the aim of alleviating poverty.
The Islamic body also prays for the effective implementation of the guidelines, and also congratulated the CBN and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) for achieving the remarkable milestone.
Read also: Nigerian Universities are not producing quality graduates-CITAD
Prof. Salisu Shehu said the procedures through which the free Interest loan should be disbursed be made as accessible as possible to enable even the poorest of the poor to benefit from the schemes.
The statement further reads:
“Meanwhile, as a step towards assisting the FGN and the CBN in achieving the success of the post-pandemic economic recovery, His Eminence, the President-General of NSCIA, directs all State Councils of Islamic Affairs, as well as all other Islamic organizations to design and implement sensitization and mobilization programmes for farmers, businessmen, and other eligible citizens. Imams and the ‘Ulama’ should use their sermons, lectures, lessons, radio and television programmes to educate the Muslim community on the imperative of utilizing the interventions” Said Prof Salisu
Read also:Igbo Presidency: Will they have it in 2023?
NSCIA also decries how for decades, Nigerian Muslims have been grossly marginalized in the country’s financial sector and other growth triggering financial interventions of the CBN due largely to the interest element that is usually involved in the schemes.
The body also urged Muslims who will benefit from the loans to utilize it and achieve the purpose for which its meant for and regard it as a trust which everyone will account for before the Almighty Allah on the day of judgement
