News
Kano Government Pays Over 63 Billion Naira Debt, Refutes Allegation of Borrowing 177 Billion Naira
The Kano State Government has refuted allegations of borrowing 177 billion Naira from France, stating that the claims are false and malicious. The Director General of the Kano State Debt Management Office, Dr. Hamisu Sadi Ali, made this statement during an interactive session with newsmen in Kano.
“Our attention has been drawn by a malicious publication by the online newspaper, DCL HAUSA, which falsely claimed that the Kano State Government under the leadership of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf had received the sum of 177 billion Naira as a loan from France,” Dr. Ali stated.
Dr. Ali emphasized that the Kano State Public Debt Management Law 2021 clearly states that the State Debt Management Office shall borrow on behalf of the Government from any individual or institutional bodies, subject to the provision of the act. “Whenever the Government intends to borrow internally or otherwise from individuals or institutions, it has to be through the State’s Public Debt Management Office,” he explained.
He clarified that the loan in question was actually signed by the previous administration led by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. “Dr. Ganduje’s APC administration signed a subsidiary loan agreement for the Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Project of about 64 million Euros with the French Development Agency in July 2018. Unfortunately, this is the loan that DCL Hausa claimed was contracted during the current administration,” Dr. Ali noted.
Dr. Ali provided a detailed breakdown of the current debt portfolios of Kano State, including foreign loans and domestic loans. He highlighted that no government in the history of Kano State had ever borrowed from domestic lenders, except for the Ganduje administration, which contracted and signed six different loans from various commercial banks.
“As the person in charge of the entire State’s debt portfolios, I can confirm that since the inception of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf’s NNPP administration on May 29, 2023, no single penny has been signed, contracted, or received by the Kano State Government as a loan,” Dr. Ali reiterated.
He also mentioned that the current administration has made significant efforts to reduce the state’s debt burden. “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has paid external debts of about 3.49 billion Naira and domestic debts of 60.02 billion Naira, totaling 63.51 billion Naira for the first and second quarters of 2024,” Dr. Ali stated.
Dr. Ali appealed to the general public to ignore the fake and politically motivated news from unscrupulous sources like DCL Hausa. “Journalism should be a deeply investigative venture and not a mere non-factual fabricated report,” he concluded.
News
Stampede at Catholic Church in Maitama Claims Ten Lives During Food Distribution
Ten people have been confirmed dead in a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, on Saturday, 21st December 2024, during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals.
The unfortunate incident, which occurred around 6:30 am, resulted in the loss of ten lives, including four children, and left eight others injured with varying degrees of severity. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are still receiving medical attention.
The FCT Police Command, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the tragedy, extended condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished the injured a swift recovery.
News
Port-Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational- Says NNPC
The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down.
We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.
Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing.
Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians.
News
Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Production Less Than a Month After Resumption
Less than a month after the porthacourt appeared to have resumed production, the facility has stopped working.
It was gathered that the lifting of petrol actually stopped last Friday, December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery was empty.
While about 18 trucks littered the stretch of the busy road leading to the refinery itself, nine trucks were spotted inside the parking yard, while the loading bay was empty.
Journalists who visited the refinery on Thursday, December 19, 2024, observed that the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had stopped completely.
The depot, which is usually a beehive of activities where tankers scramble for space at the parking yard, was a shadow of itself with literally no vehicular or human activity relating to operations.
This was after $1.5bn was approved in March 2021 and spent on the rehabilitation of the facility.
The inauguration of the 60,000 barrel per day production capacity plant by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, was met with celebration and fanfare.
During the re-opening of the facility, there was lifting of petrol to the excitement of the cheering crowd.
However, less than 10 trucks of petrol were lifted that day as against widespread claims that about 200 trucks carried petrol out of the bay.
Stampede at Catholic Church in Maitama Claims Ten Lives During Food Distribution
Port-Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational- Says NNPC
Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Production Less Than a Month After Resumption
FG Allocate ₦27bn For Obasanjo, Gowon, Buhari, Others In 2025
Court Renews Order of Arrest Against Mr. Bright Echefu for Allegedly Defrauding BCGNEEDS Company of $651,280.00 USD
Ambition or Betrayal? Senator Barau Jibrin’s Role in Tax Reform Bill
Open Letter To His Excellency The Executive Governor Of Kano State:Need For A Balanced Composition Of Kano State Executive Council
Minimum Wage: Kano Water Board Staff Embark on Indefinite Strike
ASUU Declares Indefinite Strike
NLC Declares One Week Strike
Stampede at Catholic Church in Maitama Claims Ten Lives During Food Distribution
Port-Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational- Says NNPC
Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Production Less Than a Month After Resumption
FG Allocate ₦27bn For Obasanjo, Gowon, Buhari, Others In 2025
Court Renews Order of Arrest Against Mr. Bright Echefu for Allegedly Defrauding BCGNEEDS Company of $651,280.00 USD
Ambition or Betrayal? Senator Barau Jibrin’s Role in Tax Reform Bill
Open Letter To His Excellency The Executive Governor Of Kano State:Need For A Balanced Composition Of Kano State Executive Council
Minimum Wage: Kano Water Board Staff Embark on Indefinite Strike
ASUU Declares Indefinite Strike
NLC Declares One Week Strike
-
Opinion3 years agoOn The Kano Flyovers And Public Perception
-
Features4 years agoHow I Became A Multimillionaire In Nigeria – Hadiza Gabon
-
History4 years agoSheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory (1917-1992):Nigeria’s Islamic Scholar Who Wrote Over 100 Books And Journals
-
Opinion4 years agoKano As future Headquarters Of Poverty In Nigeria
-
History4 years agoThe Origin Of “Mammy Market” In Army Barracks (Mammy Ochefu)
-
News3 years agoFederal University Of Technology Babura To Commence Academic Activities September
-
Opinion3 years agoMy First Encounter with Nasiru Gawuna, the Humble Deputy Governor
-
Opinion4 years agoKhalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, A Phoenix Rises