The Kaduna House of Assembly has established a committee to scrutinize the financial records of the state during Nasir el-Rufai’s tenure as governor.
The committee, comprising 13 members, has been tasked with examining loans, grants, and project execution from 2015 to 2023. Henry Zacharia, the chairman of the house committee on information, confirmed this decision, emphasizing its focus on understanding the financial transactions under the former governor’s administration.
Governor Uba Sani disclosed that his administration inherited substantial debts and contractual obligations from the previous government, amounting to $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 liabilities.
Despite this, Sani asserted that his administration has not incurred any new debts in the last nine months. However, he expressed concern over the significant debt burden, which is affecting the state’s monthly allocation from the federation.
The assembly charged the committee with summoning key figures, including former speakers, finance commissioners, market managing directors, senior counselor Jimi Adebisi Lawal, and former budget and planning commissioners.
The motion, raised by lawmaker Mugu Yusuf and unanimously supported by the assembly members, underscores the importance of investigating abandoned projects and foreign loans acquired by the previous administration. Speaker Yusuf Liman emphasized the residents’ right to be informed about the state’s financial status.
Lawal Aminu, representing the Doka/Gabasawa constituency, was appointed as the committee’s chairman, with members including Mugu Yusuf, Munira Sulaiman Tanimu, and Shehu Pambegua, among others.
