GIDAN YANCI Fellows Express Concern as Kano’s Debt Hits N200.4bn
By Mustapha Salisu
As part of their commitment to deepening democratic reforms, representatives from the 2nd cohort of the 2024 GIDAN YANCI Fellowship Program have expressed their concern over Kano State’s escalating debt, currently standing at N200,416,771,774.70.
The fellows expressed their worry on Friday 23rd, February 2024, during a press briefing organized by the Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (formerly known as Democratic Action Group DAG), coordinating the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP) in Kano.
According to them the figures above account for 16.41% of the total debt in the Northwest zone, amounting to N1,221,147,361,723.62. This places Kano as the state with the second-highest debt in the zone, according to a recent review of subnational debts in Northwest Nigeria conducted by the Aid Foundation, CISLAC, and Christian Aid.
They elucidated that, Kano is also ranked as the second-highest in foreign debt within the Northwest zone, contributing 11.88%, equivalent to N78,054,829,156.67, to the total zonal debt.
Recall PRIME TIME NEWS reported the fellows were recently inducted by a non-governmental organizaton, GIDAN YANCI and equipped with capacities in thematic areas such as ‘Freedom of Expression,’ ‘Political Participation,’ and ‘Governance Reforms,’ to drive national-level democratic reforms within their respective communities.
During the briefing, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad, Executive Director of Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (DRDI), urged the Kano State Government and the House of Assembly to implement robust mechanisms for monitoring and managing the state’s debt.
He emphasized that unchecked debts could pose serious challenges to the state’s ability to invest in crucial sectors like education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
The Director recommended transparent disclosure of borrowing activities, prioritizing investment, and strict adherence to debt management laws, which state that the estimated aggregate revenue plus deficit should not exceed 5% of the state’s estimated GDP for each fiscal year.
Hadiza Yusuf, a fellow representing GIDAN YANCI, highlighted the timeliness of the conference, aligning with her thematic area of ‘Freedom of Expression.’ She acknowledged that the DRDI and TJ&GP conference has contributed to her project’s goal of designing a constructive channel to express citizens’ concerns to the government regarding the rising debt crisis and its negative economic impact.
Mariya Shuaibu, another fellow representing the ‘Political Participation’ thematic area, supported DAG’s Executive Director’s call for transparent disclosure of borrowing activities. According to her, this would promote inclusiveness and involve citizens in government policy-making beyond just participating in elections affairs.
Other fellows Mustapha Salisu, Sulaiman Hamza, and Grace Owoicho present during the press briefing also implored the government to consider DRDI and TJ&GP recommendations, as they are all striving for fiscal stability and economic prosperity in Kano State.
