copied from Lale Kati Group
On my 29 last year, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso handed over the button of governorship in Kano to his deputy Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, this is the first time, a deputy succeeded his principal in the history of democracy in Kano, with an isolated case of Alhaji Audu Dawakin Tofa, whose circumstances of coming to power is entirely different from that of Ganduje. Since his coming to power, people opinions about the govetnmeny varies, while some believe the man is doing his best, others think he is just a governor with nothing to show on ground.
Loading ...There are many reasons behind people opinion about the Ganduje government, one thing I notice about the government is the absence of formidable media team, to communicate to the masses about the achievement made by this government so far. Unlike during the last regime, this government is not so lucky when it comes to media and communication. Yet, within a short time, the government achieve a lot in many sectors of human endeavor. It also come up with far reaching policies, that in the near future will make Kano economically vibrant and a darling of both foreign and local investors.
In this write up, I intend to highlight some few areas where the administration of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje is making difference. But, before then, let’s first review the socio economic condition of Kano State when Ganduje came to power.
Kano Before May 29
No doubt the last government of Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso did a lot in the area of Infrastructure, education and youth development. The government was so lucky that it comes at the peak of oil revenue windfall. At that moment all through his four years in power, he never receive anything less than N8 billion monthly from.federation account. Kwankwaso channel his energy to three areas; Education, Infrastructure, and Youth development. Despite the huge revenue collected at that time, Kwankwasiyya did not invest much of its money in the area of Agriculture which is the mainstay of Kano economy, it also gave less emphasis on industries, though it works tirelessly in the area of small scale industries. thats why the two remaining hotels own by Kano state government are turn to school; Daula hotel and Magwan Hotel. This two hotel has the potentiality of generating employment and revenue to state government if sold to private investors, yet Kano state choose to convert them to schools.
Due to massive and ambitious infrastructures the last government embarked on, the state almost bankrupted toward the end of its tenure, that many of this project are left uncompleted (not abndoned). This I because the price of oil has crushed some few months before the last election, and the allocation Kano state is getting from federation account nosedive, and tumbled to less than 30% of what Kano state I getting in the last three years. Consequently the state also spend a lot in training student abroad in both undergraduate and post graduate level. These program cost Kano state billions of its alloaction, which if invested internally or use to develop the state University, might have made KUST an international standard university at least by African standard. As at the time Ganduje came to power, Kano economy was in serious shamble and was about to wither in vine. As at now Kano state is receiving what’s not more than N3 billion monthly, against 8 billion it was receiving previously. It I under this condition, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje came to power.
GANDUJE in Power; the Sleepy ACHIEVER
By the time he come to power, he is fully aware of the fact that, he has a mountain challenges ahead, first is the economic recession the country is facing. Second lack of alternative source of income, since the IGR was leaking due to massive corruption in the sector and I don’t care attitude of the past government in the state. Third is the problem of abandon and uncompleted project inherited from the previous government’s in Kano.
The first area the governor prioritise is the area of revenue generation, he appointed an internationally recognise professor of Taxation to manage the economy and come up with alternative source of revenue independent of petroleum.revenue. the state come up with a friendly tax system called Tax for Services, which involve tax payers in the area of assessment and enumeration. The state Board of internal revenue is reformed and upgraded to the status of independence which is now called “Kano State Internal Revenue Services.
Also the state engage the use of private consultants in various tax areas, from PIT to PAYEE to CIT among others. The main import of using consultants is to engage private sector in revenue collection and generation and also to stop leakage in tax collection. It is also very important to note, this idea provide job opportunities for over a thousand youths. In Non formal sector alone, over 700 staff are needed to manage this sector. Thus, it means improve IGR and provide employment opportunity for unemployed.
HOUSING POLICY
I have no doubt in my mind that, Dr Kwankwao government did its best in housing area, but unfortunately the house built are not affordable to even medium income earners in the state. Ganduje administration came up with new idea, of PPT in the area of housing, investors are encourage to come and invest in housing estate business. Whereby Kano state will provide land for free, while the investor will take care of building the mass houses. Unlike before, Kano state government this time only emphasis low cost housing. Already, the Vice president has laid the foundation for 500 units housing estate, and the target is to build 6000 which will be low cost and the target is low and medium income earners.
Uncompleted and abandon projects
I can say no government previously gives much of its attention to the area of completing projects abandon by the previous regime like that of Ganduje, this is because it believes; governace is a continuous process. When it comes to power two important projects were abandon; Giginyu and Zoo Rd Paediatric hospitals. Almost the construction of the two were at over 80% completion when abandon. Today the hospitals are almost ready for use.
The government also is making effort despite the economic recession to complete all the uncompleted overhead bridges left uncompleted by the last government. Already Sabon Gari overhead bridge is at advance level, the Panshekara underpass is also over 60% completed, so also Gadan kaya underpass. The ambitious Wuju Wuju road project is also going on, as schedule.
To be cont…..
