The Zamfara State government says it has earmarked N1 billion in its 2021 budget for the construction and renovation of Juma’at mosques, Islamic schools, cemeteries, preaching sessions and other religious activities.

The Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Tukur Jangebe, disclosed this on Friday, after defending the 2021 budget proposal of the ministry before the state’s House of Assembly.

Mr Jangebe noted that the state government planned to execute various development projects for the propagation of Islam under the ministry and its parastatal agencies in 2021.

“In the 2021 budget, we plan to upgrade our Islamic schools, construct new ones and improve the condition of our cemeteries. Out of the proposed amount, we plan to enhance capacity of our Islamic scholars,’’ Mr Jangebe said.

The Chairman, State Sharia Research Commission, Abubakar Sodangi, also said the Commission planned the publication of Islamic Shari’a books.

“In the 2021 budget, we proposed to publicise Shari’a research books in four languages – Arabic, Hausa, English and Fulfulde. The aim is to enhance the capacity of Islamic scholars in the state,’’ he said.

The Executive Secretary, State Quranic and Tajweed (correct Quranic pronunciation) Board, Malam Hadi Sulaiman, said the board proposed to construct Qur’anic recitation schools across the 14 local government areas of the state. According to him, this is part of government’s policy to tackle Almajiri issues in the state.