The Chairman of the Board of Directors of NASFAT Agency for Zakat & Sadaqat (NAZAS), an agency responsible for the collection and distribution of Zakat, Alhaji Hafiz O. Bakare, said the agency has distributed over N600m to beneficiaries since its inception in 2014.
Alhaji Bakare stated this during its Annual General Meeting, AGM held on Sunday at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, where the sum of about N103m was disbursed to beneficiaries in 2022.
He added that the agency has so far disbursed the amount in cash and kind to about 500,0000 beneficiaries making an appreciable impact on the lives of less privileged in society.
Speaking to newsmen on the AGM, Bakare said: “In terms of growth, the agency has grown every year in its Zakat and Sadaqat collection and gained appreciably increased awareness among the Muslim Ummah.
“The operational results of the agency show that for two consecutive years, the agency attained an annual target of about N100 million in the collection of Zakat & Sadaqat. This feat, according to the chairman, was achieved by the consolidation of accounts of all the operating units and branches of the agency worldwide.
“With the continuous effort, consistent achievement and growth of the Agency, we paddled through the tides of the challenges around our operating environment for the performance during the year under review, as we have successively crossed the N100m mark in our annual Zakat & Sadaqat collections for the second time in the history of the Agency.”
According to him, the beneficiaries included Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), health support and outreach patients, disadvantaged students, empowerment beneficiaries, Train for Fund Scheme awardees, etc. food and clothing recipients, among others.
In his remarks, the President of NASFAT, Mr Niyi Yusuf, who attended the AGM with other critical stakeholders, commended the directors and management of the agency for the achievement but further challenged the agency to attain a milestone of over N150m initially conceived in by the BOT in a short time.
The General manager of the agency, Mufutau Omosola Adelotan, said that the agency has recently introduced the ” Train-To-Fund Scheme (TTFS)”, a platform to offer training and skill acquisition programme followed by financial empowerment of few beneficiaries in different categories. The beneficiaries will therefore be given a considerable amount and monitored periodically to evaluate their progress and performance to provide further mentorship and be allowed to grow in businesses and become a zakat payer.”
The items disbursed at the 1445AH Muharam AGM included sewing machines of various types, deep freezers, grinding machines, etc. Cash was also spent to cover scholarships, empowerment, health, debt relief, stipends for older people etc.
Dignitaries present at the AGM include Mr Niyi Yusuf, the Chief Missioner of the society, Imam Morufu AbdulAzeez Onike, Chairman Council of Elders, Alh. Saliu, Engr Kamal Bolarinwa, Directors of NAZAS Alh. W. AbdulRahman, Imam Lateef A. Bello, Alhaja Shareefah A. Andu(Arabel), Dr Nosiru O. Onibon, Mr Olalekan Tijani, FCA, Dr AbdulRasheed Asamu and Engr. Muhyideen A. Yusuf.
Others are Alh. Isiaq Ajibola, Chairman of NAZAS FCT, Abuja and Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Adisa, Chairman of NAZAS Lagos Zone 1.
The beneficiaries expressed joy and gratitude to Nasfat and NAZAS for the opportunity and kind gesture. They, however, promised to make judicious use the donation very well, praying to also pay zakaat from their proceeds at the next annual disbursement.
