Jaiz foundation disburses N40m Zakat

Jaiz Charity and Development Foundation, yesterday, disbursed N7.9 million Zakat to 154 indigents in Abuja to cushion the effect of the current economic realities on them.

The foundation, at its 2nd Zakat disbursement ceremony, also distributed some items, including grinding, sewing and washing machines, laptop among others.

The Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Abdul Mutallab, said the foundation had, in the last few months, distributed N27 million to 1,147 beneficiaries in Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Anambra, Lagos and Edo states.

He said the sum of five million naira would be distributed to beneficiaries in Kano.

“When we are done with Kano, it will bring the total Zakat distributed to N40 million to 1,247 beneficiaries across the six geo-political zones of the country,” he added.

Giving the breakdown of the distribution, the Executive Secretary of the foundation, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, said economic empowerment was allotted over N25.9 million of the total Zakat fund to 891 beneficiaries followed by another sum of N5.03 million for educational support to 182 people.

He said 112 persons was given N4.2 million for medical needs, while N2.49 million was deployed to provide housing soon 100 support for 57 persons and five dawah institutions were supported with N2.3 million.

Between 2016 and 2017, Shuaib said the foundation has disbursed N80 million Zakat fund to 2,366 persons.

He therefore appealed to Zakat payers to step up and raise the bar of their commitment to assist the poor and the needy.

The communications minister, Adebayo Shittu, said in spite of the fact that majority of rich Nigerians are Muslims, there is still high number of poor Muslims in the country.

“Most rich Muslims don’t pay Zakat,” he said, urging the foundation to intensify advocacy to ensure that more faithful to meet their religious obligation.