The Senate Minority Whip and Senator representing Kano Central senatorial district of Kano State, Rufai Hanga, has responded to criticisms over his recent donation of 2,000 clay pots and 10,500 yards of white cloth to Muslim graveyards across his constituency.
Senator Hangs who disclosed this today to the press in an interview, however, clarified that the contributions were charity donations and personal gestures aimed at honouring a family tradition, and not his constituency projects as being erroneously bandied around.
Senator Hanga, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) emphasised that his donations were intended to please God and seek His eternal reward, stating that the critics are either his opponents or people ignorant of his tradition.
“This has been a legacy that I grew up with and inherited. It’s a practice I hope to sustain for as long as I live. You can only criticize what you don’t know. Those people talking bad about my donations are either my opponents or people that are not from here, who don’t understand our tradition.
“Once a person dies, it is expected that the person should be buried immediately. But I have discovered that some people who loose their loved ones, will start going around seeking for donation for burial. So, I have stepped in to solve that problem,” Hanga stated.
The donations, which were distributed across 15 local government areas in the Kano Central senatorial zone, had drawn significant attention and some negative feedback from netizens, who claimed the gesture was a misuse of public funds.
However, Hanga refuted the claims, asserting, “These materials were not part of any constituency project, but a personal initiative I have been committed to, even before my election.
“For my constituency projects, I have started with underground work providing start-up capitals for some women especially widows, provided relief materials during Ramadan, and also given towards Education
Senator Hanga also detailed the practical needs the burial donations meet, explaining that the clay pots are crucial for maintaining the graveyards, a need that had been identified by the Kano State Committee for the Graveyards.
“We had found out that clay pots were lacking in most of our graveyards and decided to donate,” he explained, noting that the committee is chaired by Dangoribar Kano and the District Head of Tarauni in the Kano Emirate.
Speaking about his constituency projects, the lawmaker said that he has has distributed JAMB scratch cards to 1,135 students at no cost, enabling them to take the university entrance examination.
He also said that he provided 10,000 books and various learning materials to primary school pupils to enhance their educational resources.
Furthermore, Senator Hanga said that he has paid registration fees amounting to N45 million for 200 indigent students of Bayero University, Kano (BUK). He maintained that the gesture is to demonstrate his commitment to supporting education in Kano State.
He further stated that had also awarded scholarships to no fewer than 200 students from the area at Kano State Polytechnic.
According to him, “These initiatives indicate Hanga’s dedication to empowering students and promoting education in my constituency”
Senator Hangs said, “I have also empowered 1,116 women across the 15 Local Government Areas of Kano Central with a capital of N50,000.”
He hinted that the move was to enable them to start small businesses which will enhance their economic status.
Aside from that “This is in addition to free medical outreach for treatment of people for various diseases which I sponsored across the 15 Local Government Areas and 172 wards.
“I also repaired boreholes to put address water scarcity in my constituency’’.
” I built an Islamiyya school at Gobirawa ward in Dala Local Government Area and donated one plot of land to Maikalwa community of Kumbotso Local Government Area to expand their mosque.”