The Kaduna State Ministry of Finance is expected to forward to the state House of Assembly today (Thursday) all documents pertaining to the loans taken during the eight-year administration of the immediate-past governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The Assembly, in a letter with reference number LEG/S. 382/VOL. II/615, directed the Commissioner for Finance to make the documents available to the Clerk, Sakinatu Idris, “on or before Thursday, 25th April 2024 by 10 am, please.”
The Assembly wants all memoranda and documents relating to financial transactions between 2015 and May 2023 during El-Rufai’s administration.
It said 30 copies of each of the documents must be provided by the finance ministry.
The Assembly had on April 16 set up a 13-man panel to probe all finances, loans and contract projects awarded under the El-Rufai administration.
The probe by the state Assembly comes weeks after the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, lamented that El-Rufai left him a huge debt profile.
Sani, who spoke during a town hall meeting in Kaduna, said he inherited a lean treasury, adding that he could not pay workers’ salaries.
Sani said, “Despite the huge debt burden of N587m, N85bn, and N115bn contractual liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.
“We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and are sharpening our focus accordingly.”
The Assembly letter to the finance commissioner, sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, read, “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: “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 drawn as recorded by Project Finance Management Unit & Debt Management Office.
“Relevant State Executive Council minutes of meetings; Council’s Extracts and Resolutions with regards to the Loans. Payments and outstanding liabilities to contractors from May 2015 to May 2023.
“Reports of salaries paid to staff from 2016-2022.(i) 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.” (Punch)
