The Kano State Government has spent N1.5 billion on its mass wedding programme, Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf has disclosed. The governor said the funds covered medical screening, dowry payments, capital grants, furniture, food and other support provided to participating couples. Yusuf made the disclosure on Saturday during a reception and distribution of furniture and other items to newly married couples at the Kano State Government House.
According to the governor, each couple received N100,000 as dowry and another N100,000 as a capital grant to help them establish businesses and become financially self-reliant. He said the government also provided household items, including beds and mattresses, to assist the couples as they began their married lives.
Food items and other essential commodities were equally distributed to help reduce the financial pressure faced by the newlyweds during the early stages of marriage. Yusuf explained that medical screening was conducted for all participating brides and grooms as part of the programme. He said the exercise was intended to protect the health of the couples and their future children.
The governor described the mass wedding initiative, known as Auren Gata, as one of the major promises made by his administration during the 2023 election campaign. Yusuf recalled that the commitment was made during campaign activities across Kano’s 44 local government areas. He said the programme had continued as part of the administration’s effort to fulfil its pledge to residents.
Before the latest ceremony, prospective couples reportedly underwent medical examinations, marriage counselling and workshops designed to prepare them for the responsibilities of married life. The governor said the Kano State Hisbah Board was involved in organising seminars for the couples.
Yusuf congratulated the couples and urged them to build their homes around patience, fairness and mutual respect. He reminded them that marriage was an act of worship and encouraged them to conduct their family lives in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. The governor also urged the couples to maintain harmony and understanding while resolving disagreements within their homes.
The Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum and Katsina State Governor, Umar Dikko-Radda, commended Yusuf for the initiative. Dikko-Radda described the programme as an intervention aimed at improving the welfare and living conditions of Kano residents. Islamic cleric Sheikh Abdullahi Bala-Lau, represented at the event by Sheikh Kabir Gombe, also commended the initiative.
He said the programme could contribute to addressing insecurity and protests involving unemployed young people by providing support and encouraging family formation. Dignitaries at the event included Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi and former Kano State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, among others.
