N241bn debt left over by Ganduje’s administration disheartening — Kano gov

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, on Monday, decried the N241bn debt left over by the administration of the former governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Yusuf, who was declared winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state was sworn in as the 19th governor of the state on Monday at the Sani Abacha stadium, Kano.

Ganduje was represented by Usman Alhaji, who gave a summary of the activities of his administration for eight years (2015 – 2023).

He explained that 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 N1.2 trillion.

“There are other MDAs that have significant bank balances. These include Kano Energy and HydroPower Energy, which has N740 million, Kano Energy and Hydro Hydro Power Energy also has N703 million while N4 billion is expected next Tuesday,” Ganduje added.

Speaking further, Ganduje said, “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 N9.2 billion, 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.”

In his reaction to the report from the Ganduje administration, Yusuf inquired where the state government would get the money to recover from the debt, saying, “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?”

He lamented the Internally Generated Revenue of the state is “nothing to write home about.”

Yusuf added, “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 realised 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.”