The state ministry of finance has been requested by the Kaduna house of assembly to furnish specifics regarding the loans that the former governor, Nasir el-Rufai, took out.
The assembly’s proposal comes after an ongoing investigation into the state’s finances during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor. El-Rufai served as Kaduna’s governor from 2015 until 2023.
A committee was formed by the Kaduna assembly on Tuesday to look into the state’s finances under el-Rufai’s leadership.
The 13-member committee was tasked to investigate loans, grants and project implementation from 2015 to 2023, the period in which el-Rufai served as governor.
In a letter dated April 22, signed by Sakinatu Idris, clerk of the house, and addressed to the commissioner of finance, the assembly requested information regarding payments and outstanding liabilities to contractors under el-Rufai.
“Accordingly, I am directed to request you to forward to the ad-hoc committee memorandum to be accompanied with the under-listed documents and all other documents you consider relevant to the assignment of the committee,” the letter reads.
“(i) (a) Total loans from May 2015 to May 2023 with the approvals of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the accounts into which the loans were lodged and drawdowns as recorded by Project Finance Managemet Unit (PFMU) & Debt Management Office (DMO).
“(b) Relevant state executive council minutes of meetings, council’s extracts and resolutions with regards to the loans.
“(c) Payments and outstanding liabilities to contractors from May 2015 – May 2023. (d) Reports of Salaries paid to staff from 2016-2022. (e) Dloyd Reports on KADRIS from 2015 to 2023.
“(ii) Terms, purpose and conditions on those loans. (iii) Appropriation items related to the loans.
(iv) All records of payments made to all contractors engaged by the state government and relevant documents from May 2015 to May 2023 including bank statements.
(v) Modalities for payments of contracts.
(vi) Documents of all payments made to the contractors. (vii) Sales of government houses/properties and accounts the proceeds were lodged and how the money was expended.
“Thirty (30) copies of the memo/documents should reach the office of the clerk to the legislature on or before Thursday, 25th April, 2024 by 10:00 am.”
On March 30, Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, said his administration inherited a debt of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the el-Rufai administration.
