The Kano State Government has spent N1.5 billion on its mass wedding programme, Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf has disclosed. The governor made the disclosure on Saturday during a reception and distribution of household items to couples at the Kano State Government House. The programme, known as Auren Gata, provides financial and material support to couples selected for the mass wedding initiative.
According to Yusuf, the government’s expenditure covered medical screening, dowry, capital grants, furniture and food supplies. He said each couple received N100,000 as dowry and another N100,000 as a capital grant to support business activities and encourage self-reliance.
The governor added that the government also provided beds, mattresses, household furniture and other essential items to help the couples establish their homes. Food items and other commodities were equally distributed to cushion the financial pressure faced by newly married couples.
Yusuf said the beneficiaries underwent medical examinations before the wedding to determine their health status and protect the wellbeing of their future families. The couples also participated in marriage counselling, seminars and workshops organised with the involvement of the Kano State Hisbah Board.
The governor described Auren Gata as one of the promises his administration made during the 2023 election campaign across Kano’s 44 local government areas. He said the government had continued to implement the programme as part of its commitment to improving the welfare of residents.
While congratulating the couples, Yusuf urged them to build their homes around patience, justice, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. He also reminded them that marriage was an act of worship and encouraged them to follow the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. The governor further urged the newlyweds to demonstrate understanding and fairness as they begin their lives together.
Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor Umar Dikko-Radda, who chairs the Northwest Governors’ Forum, commended the Kano mass wedding initiative. Dikko-Radda described the programme as an intervention capable of improving the welfare and living conditions of people in the state.
Earlier, Sheikh Kabir Gombe, who represented Islamic cleric Sheikh Abdullahi Bala-Lau, said the programme could help address social challenges associated with unemployment among young people. He also linked the initiative to efforts to reduce insecurity and protests allegedly driven by idle youths. Among dignitaries at the event were Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi and former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.
