On the occasion of the beginning of the month of Ramadan, Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, in a message, invited the Nigerien Muslim faithful to cultivate daily social cohesion, forgiveness and tolerance during this blessed month of Ramadan.
”By the grace of Allah, the lunar crescent was seen today in several localities of our country. Consequently, the Islamic Umma will observe, from tomorrow, the fasting of the holy month of Ramadan,” said Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou.
This year again, said the Prime Minister, the Ramadan fast comes in a context characterized by multiple challenges, these are mainly challenges related to the critical security situation due to the actions of armed terrorist and criminal groups which continue to s ‘attacking civilian populations, taking their lives, dispossessing them of their means of existence through the kidnapping of people for ransom, forced abductions and theft of cattle”.
Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, to this end, hailed the determination and efficiency of the elements of the defense and security forces.
”I bow down piously before the memory of fallen soldiers” he said before recalling that ”security is everyone’s business, this is why I invite you to a sustained and permanent collaboration with our Defense and Security Forces.
Addressing the issue of the food and humanitarian situation, the Head of Government indicates that ”insecurity in certain localities has slowed down the execution of development projects, limited access to basic social services, assistance to people in need and humanitarian access”.
Moreover, continues Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, the upcoming lean season could reduce the resilience of populations in a context of unjustified rise in food prices”.
According to the Prime Minister, the government is committed to supporting populations in need of food assistance, internally displaced persons, returnees and refugees, through various actions such as food and nutritional assistance, targeted free distributions, sales of foodstuffs at moderate prices, monetary transfers, support for agricultural inputs and livestock feed”.
It is in this logic, announced the Head of Government that ”I launched, on March 10, the National Response Plan to Food and Nutritional Insecurity and the Humanitarian Response Plan of our partners”.
The Prime Minister reassured that ”the government will continue the dialogue with economic operators in order to reverse the upward trend in the prices of everyday consumer products and preserve consumer wallets”.
On this eve of the blessed month of Ramadan, indicated the Prime Minister, ”the President of the Republic has a very special thought for our compatriots in situations of vulnerability or precariousness”.
”Ramadan is an opportunity for all of us to show more sharing, solidarity and benevolence towards the weakest, towards the most vulnerable, towards those who need assistance to spend the month of fasting in conditions of humanity and dignity,” he said.
Finally, he invited the population to ”cultivate social cohesion, forgiveness and tolerance on a daily basis, so many positive values that the Holy Quran teaches us” while inviting them to ”multiply prayers and invocations in accordance to the tradition of the Prophet Mohamed (Peace and Salvation be upon him), so that Allah descends his Mercy and Mercy on our country, on our community and the world as a whole”.
He also took the opportunity, on behalf of the President of the Republic and the Government, to wish all Muslim faithful “an excellent month of Ramadan. May these moments of recollection and devotion bring us more peace, security and collective well-being.