Kano DMO’s claim misleading, not all loans incurred by Ganduje’s administration – Garba

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted claims by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) government in Kano State that the debts it is currently servicing, both foreign and domestic, were solely accumulated during former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration.

The APC has labeled these claims a fallacy intended to mislead the public.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Muhammad Garba, the former Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs and Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, condemned the debt claims, describing them as an attempt to divert attention from the political and financial controversies facing the current administration in the state.

Garba asserted that these claims, attributed to Dr. Hamisu Sadi Ali, Director General of the Kano State Debt Management Office, are misleading and unbecoming of a public official overseeing such a critical government office.

Garba clarified that while the Ganduje administration, like others in Nigeria, did incur loans, the total debt portfolio listed by the Kano State Debt Management Office does not reflect debts solely acquired by the APC government.

He expressed concern that the NNPP administration continuously attempts to malign the Ganduje administration without presenting accurate information.

The Chief of Staff further highlighted that many foreign loans listed by the DMO date back to administrations prior to Ganduje’s. According to him, these loans include those from 1992, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, and 2018, such as the Multi-state Road Project (1992), the Malaria Control Booster Project (2007), and the State Education Sector Project (2008), among others.

He outlined additional loans predating Ganduje’s administration, such as the Commercial Agriculture Development Project (2009) and the Malaria Control Booster Project (2010), emphasizing that some of these projects were initially listed as NNPP achievements, only for the media to reveal their origins under APC governance.

Garba pointed to specific projects for which the APC secured loans, such as the Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Project, funded by a 64-million-euro loan from the French Development Agency in 2018. He mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic had halted this project, but it is now being implemented under the current administration.

Additionally, he referenced the APC-backed Kano State Agro Processing, Productivity Enhancement Project, valued at USD 36.8 million, which is now benefiting the people of Kano.

Garba listed further debt items, including the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, the Infrastructure Loan, an Excess Crude Account loan from 2015, a Salary Bailout, and Budget Support loans. He urged officials to honor their oath of office by refraining from misleading the public and ensuring accurate information is provided.