Kwankwaso risks white paper over N50bn road project liabilities

The Committee set up by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje was investigating allegations of fraud on the construction roads in 44 Local Government Areas

Kano Government alleged that the administration of Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso left a liability of N54, 408, 259, 638.05 billion on the five-kilometre road project across the 44 local government areas of the state.

There are now speculations that the committee may have advised the government to slam a white paper on Kwankwaso’s Administration, over the allegations.

The state commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba dropped the hint while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the state Executive Council meeting in the state.

He said the council received the report of the Technical Committee on the road projects, all of which were awarded by the previous administration under the defunct Ministry of Land and Physical Planning with the state Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) as supervising agency.

Malam Garba said the committee visited 39 local governments where its detailed report showed awarded contract sum for the projects, present site conditions, the value of executed works, the amount certified and the amount released for the projects.

The commissioner pointed out that the 5km projects in three local governments were revoked and rewarded due to non-performance.

The local government areas include Warawa, Ungogo and Dawakin Tofa, while some portions of the projects in Tsanyawa and Bichi along Kano-Katsina road were released to the federal ministry of works and housing based on the request from the federal government.

He said other three projects in Rimin Gado, Karaye and Bunkure local government which fall within the main arterial highway were expunged from the main project and re-awarded separately for execution, while metropolitan local governments of Dala, Nassarawa, Gwale, Municipal and Tarauni were allotted various projects within the municipality as 5km projects.

Malam Garba pointed out that the council approved the release of N607, 124, 663.47 million for the rehabilitation of Rimin Gado-Sabon Fegi-Jilli-Gulu road in Rimin Gado local government.

The commissioner informed that approval has also been given by the council for the conversion of the existing School of Post Basic Midwifery, Gezawa to the status of School of Nursing Gezawa to broaden the platform for training of more qualified midwives to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the state.