The Kano State Hisbah Board has warned couples participating in the state’s forthcoming mass wedding programme that any attempt to dissolve their marriages must first pass through the board’s reconciliation process.
The Commander-General of the board, Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, gave the warning during a visit to the headquarters of the Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KSACA), where medical screening of prospective couples is currently underway.
Daurawa said the state government was committing substantial resources to the initiative and expected beneficiaries to build stable and lasting homes.
He explained that couples seeking divorce would be required to return to the board, which facilitated the marriages, for mediation and reconciliation before any separation could be considered.
According to him, the mass wedding programme was introduced by Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to assist less-privileged residents who face financial challenges in getting married.
He disclosed that about 1,500 couples would benefit from the scheme, which includes the provision of household furniture, wedding materials, clothing, food items and financial support.
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Daurawa said each couple would receive ₦200,000, comprising ₦100,000 for dowry and ₦100,000 as business support, in addition to food supplies such as rice, macaroni and cooking oil.
He noted that many beneficiaries of previous editions of the programme have successfully established families, with some naming their children after the governor in appreciation of the initiative.
The Hisbah chief urged the intending couples to cherish their marriages and work towards maintaining peaceful homes.
Earlier, the Director-General of KSACA, Usman Bashir, said the screening exercise was being conducted in line with Kano State’s mandatory premarital health policy enacted in 2024.
He explained that about 3,000 individuals were being screened to determine their medical suitability for marriage. Those who meet the health requirements would be issued certificates, while couples found to have conditions such as sickle cell incompatibility would receive professional counselling and advice.
Bashir added that the state government was funding the screening exercise and would also provide treatment for beneficiaries diagnosed with medical conditions during the process.
Some of the prospective couples expressed appreciation to the government for the support. One of the beneficiaries, Magaji Muhammad, said the programme had given him the opportunity to marry after years of financial difficulties.
His fiancée, Wasila Kabiru, also commended the initiative and prayed for its success.
Another beneficiary, Umar Ahmad Abdullahi, described the intervention as timely, saying it had eased the burden of marriage after years of waiting to become financially stable.
The Hisbah delegation included the board’s chairman, Ibrahim Shehu Maihula, Director-General Abba Sa’id Sufi, Deputy Commander-General Mujahid Aminuddeen Abubakar and other senior officials.