Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano, says his government may not have the desired start as it will not be beginning on a sound footing because of the massive debt incurred by his predecessor.
Yusuf said Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration left behind over N241 billion in debt in the state.
Yusuf was sworn in on Monday at the Sani Abacha stadium as the 19th governor of Kano, succeeding Ganduje, who completed his two-term of eight years.
Ganduje, who was represented by Usman Alhaji, secretary to the state government, at the inauguration ceremony, gave a brief breakdown of a report of the activities of his administration from 2015-2023.
Yusuf said the state’s debt profile is nothing to write home.
“The expenditure of the state government from June 2015 to May 2023 indicates a total recurrent commitment of N660.3 billion and the total capital and expenditure of N540.6 billion and the total cumulative expenditure stands at N1.2trillion,” Ganduje said.
“There are other MDAs that have significant bank balances. These include Kano Energy and Hydro Power Energy, which has N740 million, Kano Energy and Hydro Hydro Power Energy also has N703 million while N4 billion is expected next Tuesday.
“There is also the Kano state contributory healthcare agency which has N4.3 billion and then the Kano State Agricultural Company, KASCO which has N837.7 million.
“The current state debt profile is expressed hereunder, the Kano State Banking Funds Trustees which has accumulated an amount of N75.6 billion for Kano state, it is N9.2billion, for local government is N66.3 billion, that’s what gave a total of N75.6 billion.
“There are also tax deductions, the pensions contract liability which stands at N4.5 billion. Then the total debt stock, internal and external stands at N123.3 billion. So, the total liability as of 31st December 2023 stands at N241.5 billion.”
Signing and receiving the report, the new Kano governor described the debt profile left by his predecessor as “disheartening”.
“It is so disheartening to hear that the state government left a debt of over N241 billion, it is so disheartening. Where are we going to source the money? The internally generated revenue is nothing to write home about,” Yusuf said.
“I’m sorry, I just have to express that, so that the good people of the state will understand our predicaments. The monies that were released or realized by the Kano internal revenue service are not enough to write home about.
“Why the use of consultants? So many consultants, as draining conduits of the resources of the people of the state. We are going to look at it, but I am not satisfied.
“However we thank His Excellency the former governor for all the services he rendered to the good people of the state according to his inner thinking.”
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