Preparations for Kano State’s planned mass wedding programme have entered a critical phase, with authorities set to begin comprehensive medical screening for 3,000 prospective brides and grooms across 24 local government areas.
The Kano State Hisbah Board confirmed that the exercise will commence on Monday as part of the requirements for participation in the government-backed marriage initiative.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Sunday, the Deputy Commander General of the board, Sheikh Mujahedeen Aminudeen, disclosed that arrangements had been completed to ensure the smooth conduct of the screening process.
“The screening will commence on Monday, 8th June, 2026, God willing. The couples comprising 1,500 females and 1,500 males will undergo the mandatory screening to ascertain their health status,” he said.
According to Aminudeen, the exercise will be conducted in Rogo, Wudil, Tudun Wada, Warawa, Kibiya, Dawakin Tofa, Garun Malam, Kura, Dambatta, Karaye, Tsanyawa, Minjibir, Rimin Gado, Shanono, Kabo, Tofa, Rano, Bebeji, Ajingi, Gwarzo, Sumaila, Kiru, Takai and Madobi local government areas.
The screening programme is being carried out through a partnership involving the Hisbah Board, the Kano State Ministry of Health and the State Agency for the Control of AIDS.
Officials said participants would be tested for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, genotype compatibility, substance abuse and a range of sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhoea, in an effort to safeguard the health and wellbeing of intending couples.
Aminudeen revealed that all registered participants had been directed to report to Hisbah offices within their respective local government areas for the exercise, warning that attendance was compulsory for continued participation in the scheme.
“After that, only those who pass the health screening will qualify,” Aminudeen added.
The mass wedding initiative was revived by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as part of broader social intervention measures aimed at supporting marriage among low-income families and addressing social challenges affecting young people across the state.
Government officials say the programme is intended to provide assistance to eligible couples whose families may be unable to bear the financial burden associated with marriage ceremonies, while also promoting social stability and family development.
The latest exercise is expected to pave the way for the next phase of the mass wedding programme, which has become one of the state’s flagship social welfare initiatives.
(Ripples)