By NDAHI MARAMA

JOS — THE Plateau Government says it spent more than N42 million to purchase items which were distributed to some Muslims in the state as Eid-el-Kabir gifts.

Malam Idi Waziri, the state’s Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, made the disclosure, yesterday, while presenting some of the items to inmates of the Jos prison and some disabled persons at the city’s central mosque, which is otherwise known as “Masallachin Juma’a”.

The commissioner said the donation to the Muslim faithful was a clear indication that the Gov. Jonah Jang administration has the interest of all Muslims residing in the state at heart.

He said, “The donation of these items is part of the governor’s kind gestures to the Muslims in the state, as is done during every festive period. This year, he insisted that in the distribution, keen attention should be paid to the less privileged and the vulnerable in the society, which is a clear indication that this administration has the interest of everyone at heart. This suggests why we have come to present some of these items to those at the prison and the disabled as well.”.

Waziri said the love Gov. Jang has for the Muslim faithful led to his recent sponsorship of  400 people in the state to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.

He said about 200 of the over 400 were, however, sponsored by the various local governments in the state, adding that this had cost the state government over N300 million.

The commissioner called on Muslims to pray for the peace and development of Plateau.