The Kaduna State Ministry of Finance is set to hand over loan documents related to the eight-year tenure of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai to the Kaduna State House of Assembly today.
In a directive sent to the Commissioner for Finance, the Assembly requested that the documents, which cover financial transactions from 2015 to May 2023, be submitted to the Clerk, Sakinatu Idris, by 10 am on Thursday, 25th April 2024. The documents are to be provided in 30 copies each.
The Assembly’s interest in these documents stems from its decision on April 16 to establish a 13-member panel tasked with investigating the state’s finances, loans, and contracts awarded during El-Rufai’s administration.
This probe follows recent remarks by the current Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, who expressed concerns about the debt left behind by El-Rufai. Governor Sani revealed during a town hall meeting that he inherited significant debt, making it challenging to meet the state’s financial obligations, including salary payments.
The Assembly’s letter to the Commissioner outlined specific documents required for the investigation. These include details on total loans approved by the Kaduna State House of Assembly from 2015 to 2023, accounts related to these loans, and minutes of State Executive Council meetings discussing the loans.
Additionally, the Assembly requested reports on salaries paid to staff from 2016 to 2022, records of payments to contractors, terms and conditions of the loans, appropriation items related to the loans, and details of payments made to contractors. The Assembly also seeks information on the sale of government properties and the use of the proceeds from these sales.
With these documents in hand, the Assembly aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the state’s financial situation during El-Rufai’s administration and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
