By Bahijja Kabara
The outgoing Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Zahara’u Muhammad Umar, has ruled out the possibility of any form of contradiction in the Child Protection Bill recently passed into law by the Kano State House of Assembly.
Dr. Zahara’u who had been a major factor in the nearly 17 years of sustained struggles that finally led to the passage of the bill into law, said it had undergone stages of screening and a series of deliberations by great Islamic scholars in order to ensure it’s conformity with Islamic doctrines.
Revealing this while officially handing over the affairs of the ministry to the Permanent Secretary, the outgoing Commissioner assured that the law is a welcome development that is not in conflict with Islam.
Quoting from the Holy Qur’an and Hadith of the Prophet, she explained that “Islam and the Holy Prophet are even more protective of children than one can think of.
She also expressed gratitude to God that the bill which is all about children whose affairs fall under her ministry, was passed into law during her time in office.
Dr. Zahara’u, therefore, called on the incoming government to see to proper and effective implementation of the law for full results.
Commenting on her working relationship with staff of the ministry, Dr. Zahara’u said it was cordial, and based on mutual respect, adding that, “we were like a family, associating with one another even on personal bases”.
The Commissioner then begged for forgiveness in case she offended someone in the course of the interaction.
In her speech, the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry, Dr. Sa’adatu Sa’idu Bala, commended the contributions of the outgoing Commissioner, which she said have impacted positively on the ministry.
She particularly referred to personal efforts that saw the Commissioner going the extra mile to improve the lots of inmates in homes directly under the ministry.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the introduction of bulk purchases and other similar initiatives by the Commissioner have greatly improved the condition of units under the ministry and better the lots of inmates.
The PS then prayed for Dr. Zahara’u and wished her well in her future endeavors.
Also delivering a vote of thanks after the handing over, the Director of Administration and Special Services, Hajiya Mariya Hudu, appreciated the Commissioner’s reliability, tirelessness, and relentlessness in handling the Affairs of the ministry.
She also wished her more success after the office.
