The Katsina State Government, in collaboration with an NGO, Al-Usra Marital Support Foundation, on Thursday organised an intensive pre-marital counselling and training for about 1,000 intending couples.

The exercise, held in Katsina, Daura and Funtua zones, was part of preparations for a mass wedding, ‘Auren Gata’, an initiative of the state government, scheduled for April 25.

The Chairperson of the Foundation, Dr Murjanatu Ibrahim-Duwan, said that the training was aimed at strengthening family values and reducing divorce in the society.

She said that the foundation was partnering with relevant authorities to prepare couples, representing 2,000 individuals, for the planned mass wedding.

Ibrahim-Duwan added that the initiative was designed to equip the intending couples with the knowledge and skills required to build stable and successful marriages.

She said that the couples were earlier screened by the state Ministry of Women Affairs to ensure they are fit and ready for marriage.

She said that the training exercise had been divided into three zones, Malumfashi, Daura and Katsina, to allow participants from different locations conveniently attend the sessions.

“The training is to prepare the couples for a successful married life by educating them on their responsibilities to one another and the importance of mutual understanding in marriage,” she said.

Ibrahim-Duwan added that the sessions also provided guidance on Islamic perspectives on marriage, conflict resolution and ways to maintain harmony in the home.

She noted that participants would receive certificates, which would serve as a requirement for participation in the mass wedding.

The chairperson further explained that the ministry of women affairs compiled and verified the list of screened couples after conducting medical tests and other necessary evaluations.

She expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute significantly to reducing marital disputes and strengthening family institutions in the state.

Earlier, the Hisbah Commander in the state, Dr Aminu Usman (Abu Ammar), said that the initiative, the first in the state, would help in reducing immorality.

He said that the state government would also provide the couples with all the necessary support needed for marriage, and also a capital for the groom to start a business.

Usman said that after the wedding, the board would continue to monitor the couples, to ensure a true and peaceful marriage.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Aminu-Malumfashi, said the initiative was to prevent the beneficiaries, especially women, from falling into immorality.

Represented by Amina Sada-Mashi, the Spokesperson of the ministry, the Commissioner said that the beneficiaries were made to undergo a thorough screening, such as genotype, HIV and other health issues.

NAN

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A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Gender Awareness Trust (GAT) has commended women across Katsina communities for their contributions towards promoting peace and security.

The GAT’s State Coordinator, Muhammad Maifada, made the commendation on Friday during a sensitisation exercise at the palace of the District Head of Shinkafi, Abdurashid Abubakar.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise was organised in collaboration with UK International Development, SPRING, and Tetra Tech International Development.

Maifada said that the sensitisation programme, which featured participation of about 13 community leaders, was part of activities to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day.

He noted that studies have shown the significant contributions women make in enhancing security within communities, particularly through the provision of vital information to security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

Maifada further emphasised that parents and religious leaders also have a vital role to play, noting that they were close to the people and serve as permanent community leaders.

According to him, they are in a strategic position to help promote peace, guide the public on security measures, and inform citizens on appropriate channels for reporting issues in order to protect their communities.

He, therefore, called on members of the public to understand that everyone had a role to play in ensuring security and peace, stressing that each individual could contribute in different ways toward safeguarding their communities.

According to Maifada, GAT supported Women peace and security implementation committee members to carry out community sensitisation to inclusive peace-building.

Maifada further revealed that GAT also operates in Kaduna, while in Katsina State its activities cover Batagarawa, Kaita, and Katsina Local Government Areas.

“Among the key activities of the organisation is raising community awareness on the importance of women’s participation, particularly in matters relating to security and peace-building.

“The organisation is also advocating against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a menace that affects women and children in the state,” the Coordinator said.

In his remarks, the District Head, who is also the Turaren Katsina, expressed gratitude to God for the choice of his district to host the celebration marking the International Women’s Day.

He also acknowledged the positive impact of the organisation’s activities within the community and pledged continued support and cooperation to ensure sustained peace and security across Katsina state.

NAN

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Kano State Government says it is targeting the distribution of more than 3.5 million meals under its 2026 Ramadan feeding programme across the state.

The Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Chairman of the Ramadan Feeding Programme, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani, said this while inspecting designated cooking centres responsible for preparing and packaging meals for beneficiaries.

Tijani said the inspection was aimed at assessing hygiene conditions, quality of ingredients and the general cooking process at the centres.

According to him, the team focused on cooking facilities and packaging processes rather than distribution points.

“We visited some of the major contractors responsible for preparing large quantities of meals daily for the programme.

“One of the companies we inspected feeds about 25,000 people daily, while others also prepare between 13,000 and 25,000 meals each day,” he said.

He explained that the programme targets the preparation of about 115,000 meal packages daily throughout the 29 days of Ramadan.

The commissioner said the meals would be distributed across the eight metropolitan Local Government Areas of the state.

Tijani commended the contractors for maintaining good hygiene standards at the cooking centres.

“We inspected the kitchens, the environment and the packaging process to ensure that the food meets the required hygiene standards.

“We are satisfied with what we saw. The level of cleanliness and the quality of the food being prepared are commendable,” he said.

He added that government officials had intensified monitoring to ensure quality control throughout the programme.

According to him, the supervision has helped address earlier concerns about food quality recorded at the beginning of the exercise.

“For the past two weeks, we have been visiting different centres to monitor both the quantity and quality of meals being prepared,” he said.

Tijani also said the government had resolved cases where some individuals attempted to divert food meant for designated distribution centres.

He noted that the situation had been addressed in collaboration with local authorities, adding that such cases had reduced significantly.

The commissioner said the cooking centres were also complying with the dietary standards approved by the state government.

“We checked the ingredients being used, including cooking oil, seasoning and meat, and they meet the required standards,” he said.

Tijani described the 2026 Ramadan feeding programme as one of the most organised in the state, noting that the government would continue to monitor the exercise to ensure its success.

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