‘Katsina has not borrowed to execute projects’

In this interview, Mustapha Kankia, Commissioner for both Works and Transport ministries in Katsina State, explains to Adetutu Audu how the state government is executing many ongoing projects, among other issues.

Ministry of works appears to have the biggest chunk of the state government budget, why is this?

I think it is so generally, probably because of the nature of what they do, mostly capital intensive projects. Of course, capital intensive projects would take slightly larger percentage of the budget. This is so because a single kilometre of road can cost so much. This ministry is not only into roads, we are in charge of housing, transportation and road maintenance. For all these three, they have agencies, parastatals. We have the Katsina Housing Authority, a parastatal under the Ministry of Works. There is Katsina State Transport Authority, still under the Works Ministry and we have Katsina Roads Maintenance Agency. So if you put all these agencies together, coupled with the ministry, you see that it is quite a huge amount of resources that go into our activities.

Why is government building a new Government House when there is a functioning one?

The current government house as you can see is a government house inherited from the colonial masters. It was actually the district officer’s residence then. Then successive governments were just adjusting one thing or the other. As a matter of fact, the office of the Deputy Governor, that is the exact office of the District Officer at that time. So, subsequent governments were just adding one structure today and another tomorrow. At the end of the day, it is a collection of structure did by different people with different thinking. Sometimes, there is a conflicts like accommodation, power supply, quarters and the government activities is ever expanding. For example, among all the first generation universities, only university of Ife appears to be the best because it was the only university that started afresh from a virgin land, a development concept from the beginning. Therefore it can go in the direction you want it to go. That is why it is better than most of the other first generation universities.

Now, we have a chance here to do it properly. We have a Governor who is not thinking about now. We are thinking of the next 50-years. As a matter of fact, all our projects here are for the future. They are there to provide platform for growth and development.

How?

My principal is a manager of resources. He manages men and material so that he gets the best for the state. The way the funding of the place is done is like this: We receive fund just like any state from the Federation Account, we manage it properly such that what accrues from the investment is now pumped into the government house project. The Governor has generated over N8b in the last six years accrued from constant generation of the investment. So, the government house is being given to the people of Katsina as a gift free of charge. The target of the project is about N5b but we have spent about 3b.

Why build another governor’s lodge in Abuja when you could possibly manage the previous one?

The condition we met it was not just habitable. It had developed cracks and in dilapidated condition. It has reached an extent where the governor’s lodge is no longer governor’s lodge because the Governor can’t really spend the night and at the same time work in it, because it is not only about sleeping there but also working there and attending to state issues from there. So, it became inhabitable. So, it was now either to completely knock it down or remodel it. And so we remodeled it. So, it is not a new building as you claimed, it was a remodeled building. We spent about N400m on it. And don’t talk about the cost because that amount is something that can be spent by the governor for a couple of years in a rented building. If you calculate the amount you would have paid on rent for say four years in Abuja, you will agree with me that it is a wise financial decision on the part of the Governor. The lodge is now in place such that all his staff can lodge there comfortably. Even northern governor’s forum and governor’s forum meetings are held there sometimes, that tells you how habitable it is now.

There have been arguments over federal roads in all the states, what type of collaboration do you have with the federal government in terms federal roads in your state?

Generally, the state government is interested in partnering with any developmental agency that will bring development to the people. Let me give you a classical example of the extent of commitment of the state government towards that policy. You will recall that the President established 11 universities recently. Out of the 11, one was in Katsina State. That one, among the other 10, was the first to matriculate students. The reason is simple. The Governor committed over N1b for the project. He gave them a secondary school to take off. It was remodeled as new classrooms, staff quarters were added; provided hostels and immediately gave them certificate of occupancy. He pumped over N1b into the project as the state contribution to the federal school. The students are in their second year of learning. Another one was the expansion of the Katsina airport. It was an aerodrome. The previous administration started the expansion programme. My principal completed it with a new runway of 3.6kilometer long,100 meters wide, enough to carry any Boeing 747, which is the international standard.

He told the federal government, look I can do this and refund me later. Of course the approval took time but that is the kind of commitment I am talking about. Currently, the state government is looking at the Zobe water Dam scheme. The Zobe dam is one of the largest dams we have. It was started more than 30 years ago. And he has been trying to convince the federal government, come please let us talk, I can do this and then you reimburse me later.

There is another one, Jibia irrigation scheme. It is federal government owned. It was lying down for nothing and it can be used for irrigation but it had technical problems of pumping machines and channels through which you carry the water to the various farm lands were broken. The governor came into the picture, supplied the generators and as I speak with you now, it is working.

What are you doing in housing?

My ministry is saddled with the provision of affordable housing through the Katsina State Housing Authority. From 2007 to date, we have so far built 1772 housing units which were segmented into three. We are financing these projects with proceeds from investments.

When you adopt such style, you can achieve a lot within a short space of time. With all that we are doing, we have not borrowed a kobo both within the country and outside to execute all these projects.

Get more trends like this

Subscribe to our mailing list and get latest Nigeria trends in your inbox.

Get more trends like this
in your inbox

Subscribe to our mailing list and get latest Nigeria trends in your inbox.