Edo State Government will send a list of  authorized places of worship  that can conduct marriages in the state to Embassies, just as the Muslim Community promises to work with the government to Make Edo State Great Again.
The State Commissioner for Youth and Gender Issues, Hon. Andrew Adaze Emwanta Esq. JP who disclosed the plans of the Ministry during an interactive meeting with the Muslim Community in his office  said that any place of worship that issues certificate of marriage should be licensed.
He advised people  traveling  abroad to get their marriage certificates from a licensed place of worship because very soon the government will inform the embassies that certificates  from all these churches and mosque that do not have the authority to conduct marriages should not be honored.
“We will send the list of all the licensed places of worship where marriages are conducted and Certificates of marriages are issued to the embassies. Any place of worship that issues certificate of marriage should be licensed.
” When a Mosque or  Church  gives the certificate, it  becomes celebration of marriage even though the marriage was not conducted there,” the Commissioner noted.
” You will agree with me that due to the economic situation of our country  we are not getting the kind of revenue we use to get for very obvious reasons and when you look at the allocations the state get,  it has dropped drastically due to oil spillage and the world global economic crisis and Nigeria is not an exception with the effect of COVID-19.
” With all these and many more,  it then means Edo State should start thinking inward to those areas where government can generate revenue. Not to increase tax but to look at existing channels that have not been exploited.
” When I was appointed Commissioner, I realized after a meeting with the various departments  that  both the Christian denomination and Muslims have not been paying their renewal for license and many of them have not been licensed.
“But year in, year out,  they conduct marriages. We realized that in the statute book  we are authorized under the law to license places of worship responsible for organizing marriages and as a Ministry the license fee is N50,500. 00 and the yearly renewal fee is N15, 000.
“The law is very clear about a place of worship. It is a place where marriages are celebrated or where they issue certificate of marriages.  The benefit of having a licensed place of worship is that tomorrow nobody can challenge that marriage and that can be the basis for somebody to say that marriage is not valid
He explained that the moment a certificate is issued by a particular Mosque or Church, it becomes a place of worship that celebrates marriage and for that certificate to be valid, the issue of license is very important, adding that the government gives the legal basis with that certificate.
While commending the Muslim community for their collaboration with government, the Commissioner said there will be a joint committee that will be responsible for compliance and  provide a general overview of the various Mosques in the state.
The Chief Imam of Benin Central Mosque,  Alhaji Abdul – Fatai Enabulele assured that all Mosques in Edo State will be registered  to help the government generate funds for the development of the state.
According to him,” A meeting of the leagues of Imams will be conveyed to carry the message across the state to ensure compliance of the registration of the Mosques in the state.”
“We will support the government by ensuring that those not yet registered are registered and those registered should pay their yearly renewal fee.
The Chief Imam was accompanied to the interactive meeting by Imam Abdulahi of  the Hausa Community, Imam (Dr.) Suleman Ikhuoriah, Esan Community, Imam Anelu Oamen, Afemai Community and Imam Raji Taofeeq, Yoruba Community