CCTV: Group Condemns Ganduje’s Resolve To Collect 10bn Loan
16th June, 2022
The Right Hon. Speaker,
Engineer Hamisu Ibrahim Chidari,
Kano State House of Assembly,
Audu Bako Secretariat,
Kano.
Sir,
REQUEST TO REVISE THE APPROVAL FOR A PROPOSED LOAN OF 10 BILLION NAIRA FOR THE INSTALLATIONS OF CCTV CAMERA TO STOP THE INCESSANT AND RECKLESS BORROWINGS OF THE KANO STATE GOVERNMENT TO FORESTALL THE LOOMING DANGER OF ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE
Introduction
The Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF) is the key umbrella body of over 200 different Civil Society and Community based Organizations operating in Kano State, associating under a common platform with the aim of achieving human rights protection and promotion, promotion of democracy, good governance, policy change, health, peace, justice, Security and sustainable development in the State and Nigeria at large.
We received with shock the news that Kano State House of Assembly under your stewardship has granted the approval for the borrowing of N10 billion to the State Government for the installation of CCTV cameras on some streets across the State, at the time when the educational system in the state is in comatose with number of out of school children roaming on the streets increasing, serious and acute shortage of water in many parts of the state, number of dropouts secondary school students increasing, resurge of social vices such as political thuggery, Yan daba fights, all resulting from youth unemployment, and steadily assuming an alarming rate. Other issues of pressing concern that should have received the priority attention include: payments of entitlements of the retired civil servants who served Kano for years and are being unjustifiably subjected to untold hardships.
We therefore wish to express our dismay and register our concern over this recurring culture of the Kano State Government, and the continuous support of the Kano State House of Assembly repeatedly. This we believe is an ugly precedence which would not augur well for the State and the citizens.
Mr. Speaker sir, let us remind you that a reliable information from the Debt Management Office (DMO), Abuja, has rated Kano state debt profile as at March 31st, 2022 as high as to the tune of N127,847,657,184.82 (domestic), this is pretty too unpleasant for a State like Kano. The spate at which borrowings by the Kano State Government has assumed, is not only alarming but also disturbing. This ugly practice can only be best described as a systematic scheme to mortgage the future of Kano State and enslave us as the citizens.
The proposal to borrow this huge amount of money as loan, just to develop optic cyber and install CCTV cameras to beef up security across the state is unwarranted. The questions are at what conditions for the repayment of the loan, who bears the brunt? This practice if allowed to continue would not only jeopardize the future of Kano children but would as well prepare Kano State into a guaranteed journey of an imminent bankruptcy, which steadily and eventually would consume us.
Sir, the forum as the lead umbrella body of civil society organizations in Kano State, feels the imperative need to draw your attention by cautioning your action and that of your colleagues on the implications of granting the Assembly’s approval to borrow money in Kano State, as we cannot sit back and watch our dear State slowly and steadily mortgaged through loans stocking.
It is against the foregoing, we wish to register our displeasure and anger on the actions of the members of the Kano State House of Assembly, for consistently supporting this kind of initiative camouflaged as citizens driven, therefore beseech you for an outright review and reversal of this ill-timed approval and unpopular action.
The decision of the Kano State government to collect such loans at this period is unacceptable, as other options could be explored to raise funding for such projects and therefore not be through borrowings. We wish to make it on record that, our concern is bordered on the plight of the Kano citizens, devoid of any sentiment or bigotry against the government, as we always stand for social justice and accountable governance.
The forum wishes to request the leadership of the Kano State House of Assembly to rescind its earlier approval forthwith, in the interest of the Kano citizens, and look beyond political sentiment or personal benefits and focus on preserving the future of Kano people, as posterity shall surely judge your actions or inactions.
It is therefore on this premise, the forum, wishes to draw the attention of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, to withdraw his intention of borrowing the N10 billion and look inward to mobilize the required resources for the proposed purchase and installations of the security cameras.
Mr. Speaker sir, if you could recall that the forum, has for more than 4 years been at the forefront of advocacies to many high profiled personalities in Kano State, for the implementation of Kano State Security Trust Fund, including your office. And this law (Fund) if it were implemented could have been the best platform to canvas for resources on all matters of security and peace in Kano State, as it has been the case in Lagos State. We therefore hope that the Kano State security Trust Fund, would be implemented as soon as possible to provide an avenue for resource mobilization for the security sector to complement Kano State efforts in this direction.
Amb. Ibrahim A. Waiya
President,
Peter Hassan Tijani Secretary General
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