By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Abuja has loaned another N50 billion to Katsina to fund projects, including roads on which the state has spent N66.735 billion to build new and rehabilitate old ones since Aminu Masari became Governor in 2015.
Debt Management Office (DMO) data shows that Katsina’s debt rose 407.3 per cent from N11.50 billion in December 2015 to N58.34 billion in March 2021.
Budget Commissioner Faruk Jobe disclosed at a public budget sensitisation conference in Katsina that the new loan, part of the 2021 budget, will be used to complete ongoing projects and embark on new ones.
“The ongoing project includes Green Economic Zone, Ajiwa waterworks, road project, rehabilitation of general hospitals, among others.
“Part of the loan will be used to construct under-bypass project at Kofar Kaura and Kofar Kwaya junction,” he said, reported by The Nation.
“We experienced a shortfall of money from Federation Account and internally generated revenue to finance the 2021 budget.
“The N50 billion will assist us to complete some ongoing major projects and take-off of new ones before the end of this year. Without this loan we cannot finance our budget.”
Jobe urged residents to pay taxes promptly to enable the government provide social amenities.
He said the conference was organised to gather people’s views on projects in the 2021 budget.
State Assembly member, Isah Kuraye (Charanchi Council), said the Assembly will closely monitor the utilisation of the N50 billion loan.
Katsina spends N66.73b to build, rehabilitate roads
Works, Transport and Housing Commissioner Tasiu Dandagoro announced earlier this month that the state has spent N66.735 billion on roads in the past six years.
He disclosed this in Katsina where he highlighted achievements in road, transport, housing, and other sectors as part of efforts to consolidate Masari’s position against demand for his resignation by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).
“The Aminu Bello Masari’s administration inherited so many road construction projects amounting to N7.1 billion from the previous administration, which further threatened the deployment of scarce resources in the sector.
“There are also 19 new road projects amounting to 470km valued at N43.34 billion embarked upon by this administration, of which 12 have been completed, five of which were inaugurated by President [Muhammadu] Buhari when he visited the state,” Dandagoro told The Nation.
He listed the road projects to include Tamawa-Bindawa-Charanchi and Fago-Rigiya Saminya Roads.
Dandagoro said another project involving 39 rural feeder roads spanning 165.5km and valued at N26.831 billion has been embarked upon by the government.
Masari dismisses call for his resignation
Masari described as absurd the call for his resignation by the state CNG because he urged residents to acquire arms for self-defence.
The call is quite ridiculous for reasons not hard to fathom as security is on the Exclusive List of the Constitution, which means it is a federal affair, Masari argued in a statement issued through his Media Director General, Abdu Malumfashi.
“In matters of security, a governor is the Chief Security Officer of his state only in name, because the various security chiefs working in the state take orders not from him, but from their superiors in Abuja,” the statement explained, as reported by The Guardian.
“The only things they take from governors are the financial and material assistance (both solicited and unsolicited), which they extend to the security institutions in the states … Masari is second to none, when it comes to proactive engagement with security agencies in the state.”
Masari said the “massive increase” in security formations in Katsina and the North West in general is due to his commitment to the war against banditry.
“It was this, which persuaded his North West colleagues to make him the chairman of their security committee. As constitutionally elected office holders, governors do not succumb to the intimidation of some self-serving disgruntled elements, masquerading as human rights campaigners by resigning.
“If they are found wanting in the discharge of their responsibilities, the Nigerian Constitution has provided the protocols for easing them out of office, and no House of Assembly is in the dark about that.”
The statement noted that Masari is not the first governor to suggest arming citizens, stressing that in states where citizens do not politicise security they rally round their leaders who similarly admonish their people.