Debt Crisis: Kaduna Assembly Begins Probe Of El-Rufai

Kaduna State House of Assembly has set up a 13-man ad-hoc committee to investigate financial transactions, loans, grants and projects executed by the of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai administration.
The House on Tuesday unanimously agreed to set up the committee for investigation into the former governor Nasir el-Rufai’s administration.

Hon. Yusuf Mugu, member representing Kaura constituency, moved the motion on a matter of public importance that the loan borrowed by the former governor el-Rufai be investigated for people of state to know the conditions used for the loan.

He said, “There have been uncomplimentary comments and assassination of character on the leadership of the state which the Assembly cannot sit and watch. That was why I came up and moved this motion; that the Speaker constitute a committee to investigate the allegation and negative comments on them.

This is the only way the State can rekindle its confidence in its development partners, collaborators, and also those who give us loans and grants; failing to do this will push the indicators of the state to a situation whereby nobody will want to do business with us.”

The governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, had on March 30, 2024 in a town hall meeting disclosed that he inherited a huge debt burden of $587million, N85 billion and 115 contractual liabilities from the immediate past government.

The former speaker of the assembly, Hon. Yusuf Zailani, who also spoke on the issue, said he refused to approve of some of the loans but that the governor still found a way to take them
Zailani who is also the lawmaker representing Igabi West constituency said: “I suffered a lot in not giving approval for the loans to be collected. Even the then deputy Speaker Isaac Auta Zankhai was against me because I disagreed for the loan to be collected. I told the then governor to look at the number of loans we had on the ground and he didn’t listen to me”.

Hon. Samuel Kambai, who represents Zangon Kataf, and Hon. Henry Zachariah Marah, who represents Jaba constituency, explained that the duty of the legislators was to give approval before the governor goes ahead to collect the loan, but in Kaduna the case was different.

The duo, therefore, urged the committee to summon the 8th and 9th Assembly speakers alongside some members of the same assembly to come and give explanations on how the loans were collected and spent.

The speaker of the House, Hon. Yusuf Dahiru Liman, who presided over the plenary session, urged the ad-hoc committee to invite the Speakers of 8th and 9th Assembly and all other relevant stakeholders and agencies for investigation.

He assured the House that the matter will be properly looked into, saying they will give each and every one the liberty to speak the truth.

The House unanimously requested for handing over notes given to Uba Sani by the previous administration to guide the committee on the financial status of the State

The 13-man committee includes Hon. Aminu Anti representing Doka Gabasawa as the chairman, Hon. Yusuf Mugu Kaura as the deputy chairman, Hon. Munira Tanimu, Hon. Shehu Yunusa, Hon. Emmanuel Kantiok, Hon. Mohammed Lawal, Hon. Mohammed Alhassan, Hon. Nasidi Idi, Hon. Ali Kalat, Hon. Shehu Abubakar

The Speaker, Hon Yusuf Liman, oversaw the affairs of the committee and two others.