Amidst Biting Economic Situation,  Kano Procures  Official SUVs Worth N68m each For 41 State Lawmakers

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

With the excruciating economic situation in the country still taking its toll on the citizenry, the Kano State Government on Monday, May 20, 2024, confirmed the purchase of 41 Sports Utility Vehicles SUV for the State Lawmakers.

Each of the exotic SUVs  cost the state Government a whopping N68 million. The total cost of the vehicles to the tax payers is N2.6 billion.

This is even as the members of the Kano State House of Assembly had not too long ago been supplied with choice official vehicles, making this a second supply.

But amidst the outrage which has been provoked by the bizarre expenditure, the Chief of Staff, CoS  to Governor Abba kabir Yusuf, Alhaji Shehu Wada Sagagi, has insisted that it is  the right of the Legislators to have befitting official vehicles.

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However ,Sagagi noted that owing to the prevailing hard economic situation in the country, the State Government has opted for an installmental payments for the vehicles already delivered to the Legislators.

According to the CoS, the decision to purchase the vehicles was borne  out of  the respect Governor Yusuf has for the rights and privileges of the tiers of Government in the State

However, despite the huge cost of the vehicles  to the Treasury  of the state, Alhaji Sagagi  insisted that the State Governor  remains committed towards promoting the wellbeing of the citizenry and other arms of Government.

While subdued outrage and agitation have continued to trail the exercise amongst the populace, the legislators appear unfazed, with some of them expressing shock at the public outcry.

“Why are you people ( media ) making a mountain out of a molehill? Previous administrations in the State did the same thing .

“You people should realize that the vehicles will facilitate our oversight functions and would be used for other legislative duties” one of the Lawmakers queried.

But The Source findings have revealed that much as the State Government has so far tried to explain away the audacious expenditure, it is most likely to face a barrage of criticisms in the days ahead both within and without Kano.