Lagos State to start paying Imams, Pastors; see reason

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to engage some religious leaders, including pastors and imams, and place them on a salary structure.

This is a way of carrying out reorientation of the citizenry to shun corruption and immorality.

The development was made public by the Lagos State commissioner for home affairs, Abdulhakeem Abdulateef, during a sensitization programme for imams and scholars across the state, on Thursday, July 26, Daily Trust reports.

The commissioner disclosed that the state government would continue to interact with religious leaders, and tasked them to be above board and encourage their followers to shun corruption.

He said: “We shall be willing to even engage many of them by making provision for their salaries so that they can assist government to re-orientate the people for good.

“Imams and Pastors are believed to be men of God. So we need all of you to help us to encourage the right values in the society; particularly in the area of accountability and anti-corruption.

“We must remember that the Almighty Allah will ask all of us to render account of our deeds in the hereafter. So, the Imams and other religious clerics should lead us in the right direction because they are our leaders.”