Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has been told to constitute a commission of inquiry to uncover the actual amount of the substantial debts inherited from his predecessor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
The advice was given The Kaduna State Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) chairman, Ahmed Tijani Mustapha.
Mustapha, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna on Monday, explained that as custodians of democratic ideals, norms, and good governance, as well as beacons of democracy, IPAC would continue to play a vital role in shaping Kaduna State’s political landscape and promoting the collective interests of the people, government, and its diverse political parties.
He emphasized that, “we will continue to promote enabling good governance and accountability in governance.”
He observed that it was disturbing and disheartening to hear Governor Uba Sani disclose how his administration inherited a huge debt burden of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the previous administration, making it difficult for the government to even pay workers’ salaries.
He lamented that the selfish and fraudulent arrangement not only denied the state the means of development and growth but made the state financially embarrassed, including using the state’s IGR as collateral for some indigenous banks.
He said the Kaduna State IPAC supports the unique transparent leadership.
The chairman expressed support for the governor’s desire to get the state out of the mess despite the humongous debt burden.
According to him, “We are highly amazed and proud of His Excellency’s vision and wisdom with all these huge debt burdens that are eating deep into the state’s monthly federal allocation and with the state finding it difficult to pay monthly salaries, but he remains resolute and focused on trying to build a better Kaduna State without borrowing a kobo in the last nine months of his administration.”
He called on the governor, as a matter of urgency, to constitute a commission of inquiry that would unravel “the selfish mystery of the huge debt burdens of 587 million dollars and 85 billion naira in systematic executive corruption and the 115 contractual liabilities he inherited”.
He said that the findings of such a commission of inquiry should be presented to the people of Kaduna State via the same town hall meeting.
