"This is an investment of over N250m" – Hisbah warns Kano mass wedding couples against divorce

The Kano State Hisbah Board has warned couples participating in the state government’s upcoming mass wedding programme that divorce is not allowed.

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The Commander General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, issued the warning during a visit to the headquarters of the Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KSACA), one of the centres conducting medical screening for prospective couples.

He said anyone who wants to divorce cannot do so without first seeking the intervention of the board for reconciliation.

Daurawa said the Kano State Government was making significant investments in the programme and expected the marriages to be stable and long-lasting.

“We don’t allow divorce. Any person who wants for any reason to divorce has to come to Hisbah since this is where the marriage was contracted,” he said.

“We have a reconciliation committee that will sit down and resolve issues before any separation is considered.”

According to him, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf introduced the mass wedding initiative to assist less privileged residents who face financial difficulties in getting married.

He explained that the government would sponsor 1,500 couples and provide them with furniture, wedding boxes, clothing materials and food items.

“Some people sell their land, motorcycles, or even take loans just to marry. The governor, in his mercy, decided to sponsor 1,500 couples. The state will provide furniture, wedding boxes, clothing, and food provisions,” Daurawa stated.

He added that each couple would receive N200,000, comprising N100,000 as dowry and another 100,000 as business support capital, alongside bags of rice, macaroni and cooking oil.

“This is an investment of over N250 million,” he said.

The Hisbah Commander noted that many beneficiaries of previous mass wedding programmes had gone on to build successful families, with some naming their children after Governor Yusuf in appreciation of the intervention.

He urged the intending couples to value their marriages and work towards maintaining peaceful homes.

Speaking earlier, the Director-General of KSACA, Dr. Usman Bashir, said the ongoing screening exercise was in line with the state’s mandatory premarital health policy signed into law in 2024.

“We are screening 3,000 people to ensure they are medically fit before marriage. Couples who pass will be issued certificates, while those with health risks such as sickle cell incompatibility will be advised against proceeding.The government is fully funding the programme, and treatment will be provided where conditions are identified,” Bashir said.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the state government for the initiative.

One of the prospective grooms, Magaji Muhammad, said the programme had fulfilled his long-standing dream of getting married after years of financial challenges.

His fiancée, Wasila Kabiru, also prayed for the success of the scheme.

Another participant, Umar Ahmad Abdullahi, said he was relieved to finally have the opportunity to marry after waiting until his thirties due to economic constraints.

“This screening is important because our health matters. I am happy the state is helping us,” he said.