The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has justified why it awarded 30million naira for a mosque construction in Borno State.
In a statement signed yesterday by Mr. Theodore Ogaziechi, the ministry’s Director of Information, it said their attention was drawn to an online publication alleging that they (FMARD) have come under fire on social media following a leaked memo conveying the approval of N30m for the construction of a Friday mosque with taxpayers’ fund.
TheFact Nigeria gathered that the memo was issued by the Ministry for the construction of a worship centre for a community of livestock farmers who were sacked and displaced in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents and are being resettled in Ngarannam/Mafa local government of the state.
Ogaziechi explained that the construction of the mosque was a Special Request from the community through the Borno State Government to avoid moving too far from the settlement areas for prayers and also to ensure their safety and contact with the insurgents.
He added that apart from the mosque, other common facilities provided for the livestock farmers in the community include Solar Powered Boreholes with Overhead Tanks and Drinking Troughs for their cattle and small ruminants, Water Harvesting Structures, Milk Collection Center, Resettlement Abode, as well as other infrastructure to properly settle and rehabilitate the displaced livestock farmers.
“The Memo is an official document and it is available for public scrutiny and review. It is therefore unfortunate for anyone to presume that the memo leaked.
“… the ministry was in no way perturbed about the matter because it received appropriate approval, carried out due needs assessment and ensured due process in the execution of the project”, he said.
