Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has distributed cash and other essential items worth over N145 million to churches, groups, women, associations and clerics for the celebration of this year’s Christmas.
The chairman of the distribution committee, Mr Abdon Dalla Gin, expressed gratitude to Governor Bala Mohammed for the annual gesture, saying that it has assisted Christian faithful to celebrate Christmas successfully.
He called on the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by praying for the success of the Governor Bala- led administration and sustenance of peaceful coexistence in the state.
“His Excellency has once again this year allocated N145 million to our committee for distribution as Christmas gifts, this is more than what we are expecting from him, we must appreciate and support him to succeed,” he said.
In a goodwill message to Christians on the occasion of the 2022 Christmas celebration, Bala pointed out that the annual celebration of Christmas was in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ who paid the supreme price in order to save the lives of his disciples and followers.
He said the Christmas period should be used to strengthen existing friendships and establish new ones with adherents of other faiths and reiterated his call for mutual respect and peaceful co-existence among the citizenry by living with one another harmoniously irrespective of political, cultural and religious differences for societal development.
Bala said, “It is with great pleasure that I, on behalf of myself, the government and the entire people of Bauchi State, extend my warm and sincere message of goodwill to all Christians on the occasion of the 2022 Christmas Celebration.
“Jesus Christ had throughout his lifetime preached peace, honesty, love for one another and above all the fear of God. It is these virtues that people irrespective of their religious belief are enjoined to imbibe and put into practice. While we celebrate the event with meditation and happiness, we should also reflect seriously on our routine and spiritual deeds in the last one year and pray to God for better and prosperous years ahead,” he said.