Follow Us on Google
From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami has called on the committee on the reconstruction of the Kaltungo Central Mosque in Gombe state to consider the training of youths on endurance while trying to be self-reliant.
Pantami made the call while speaking as a g guest speaker at the commissioning of the reconstructed Kaltungo Central Mosque on Friday in Kaltungo Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe state.
He explained that based on the teachings of Islam the act of building a mosque is highly rewarding for whoever gets involved in it. “A mosque is not just a place of worship but also an institution of learning, a center for dialogue, orientation as well as rehabilitation, skills acquisition and community development”.
The first and second universities ever established in the world started from a mosque in Morocco and Egypt, hence, this reconstructed Kaltungo Central Mosque should not be limited to prayers and reading of the holy Quran, it should be used to ensure unity, community development, and a center where experts in business and other professionals will be used to positively engage the youths.
In our today’s Nigeria so many youths lack the needed endurance in nurturing a business or an idea to success, must of our youths want to start today and start counting gains the same day. We should develop means of using the mosque to engage our youths and other members of the society,” the Minister said.
On his part, the Chairman of the Mosque Building Committee Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi explained that the Project for the reconstruction of the Central Mosque which was first constructed to fulfill the wishes of the Late Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan Sokoto in 1968, was borne from a general concern and desire of the people of Kaltungo.
“We felt that Kaltungo needed an ultra-modern mosque befitting of the emerging image of Kaltungo,” the Chairman who is the Secretary to the government of Gombe state.
He disclosed that his committee of 16 members was constituted by the Mai Kaltungo in December 2017 and that the actual works on the site commenced in 2018. “On the receipt of the design and bills to the tune of N250m, the committee engaged in aggressive fundraising efforts. This yielded sufficient results for the project to commence.
The reconstructed mosque has the capacity for 2,300 worshippers. It has a women’s section, a library, and convenience toilets for males and females. The mosque has sufficient premises to the northern and southern flanks to accommodate an additional 600 worshippers.
In addition, the mosque has a second aquiter borehole and an overhead water tank with a capacity of 3000 liters, a 40KVA sound proot standby electricity generator, and some poles fitted with solar lights,” the SSG explained.
Meanwhile, the Shehu of Borno who chaired the commissioning ceremony which had Gombe state governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, and other royal fathers in attendance, congratulated the Kaltungo Chiefdom for the completion of the project as he equally urged leaders in the state to use the mosque in promoting peace and unity.
