JEDDAH, 22 September 2005 — Riyadh Governor Prince Salman yesterday urged government agencies and private organizations to join hands in charitable activities in the fight against poverty.
Addressing a meeting in Riyadh, he urged Saudis to take care of the poor and needy in their neighborhoods. “We should give priority to helping them,” he said, and commended Saudis for their active involvement in charitable activities.
The governor praised Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for his strong support for the Social Affairs Ministry, which was established in 1960 during the reign of King Saud.
“Our society, by participating in charitable societies, is interacting with philanthropic activities, be they run by the government or private agencies,” he said.
He refuted allegations that businessmen were not cooperating with charities. “This is not true; frankly speaking, I have found good cooperation from them. The only thing is that the wealthy people want to make sure their zakat and sadaqat reach the deserving,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the governor as saying.
Prince Salman emphasized the support extended by charitable organizations to the Social Affairs Ministry. “I know that there are people who visit poor families and have given them money and material assistance for the past several years.” He also noted the role of charitable organizations in helping the poor and satisfying their requirements.
The agency for social insurance and low-cost housing takes care of 367,000 families in the Kingdom and spends more than SR3 billion on these families annually, according to Social Affairs Minister Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas. “We provide them with various services through 78 offices scattered in various parts of the Kingdom,” he said.
He said the agency had extended financial assistance of SR305.75 million to nearly 40,000 families. “We are also furnishing houses of the poor in various villages in association with the King Abdullah Charitable Housing Foundation,” he pointed out.
Al-Akkas commended the recent decision taken by King Abdullah raising the maximum pension from SR16,200 to SR28,000. The king also raised the allocation for low-cost housing units from SR2 billion to SR10 billion.
He disclosed plans to open a social insurance office for women for the first time in Riyadh, adding that it would serve more than 15,000 women including divorcees and widows. He called for cooperation between government departments and charitable organizations to solve the problems facing the poor.
In his speech, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh emphasized the importance of supporting orphans and the needy, saying it is a religious duty of wealthy Muslims. His speech was read out by Dr. Saad Al-Shethry. The mufti also urged those people who do not deserve zakat not to approach social insurance for assistance.
