By AbdulRaheem Aodu
Kaduna
Over 4, 000 ghost pensioners have been were discovered from recent biometric verification exercise carried out by the Kaduna state government, while N1.3 billion would be saved, annually, from the scam, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has said.
Addressing the fourth town-hall meeting in the state and the second in Kaduna town, El-Rufai said Zaria, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Kaura, Jaba, Chikun and Sabon Gari local government areas were bankrupt as they barely cover their wage bills with nothing left for other expenses including infrastructural development.
Speaking further, he said the federal and Kaduna state governments in conjunction with Zamfara and Kano states, were working on the cotton value chain to resuscitate the textile industry, adding that the 30mw electricity produced by Gurara dam, when completed, would be channelled to the Kakuri industrial area to power the textile and other manufacturing in the area.
According to him, the killings in Southern Kaduna, Birnin Gwari and Giwa were being perpetrated by foreigners from Guinea, Mali and other African countries.
He, however, said with the presentation of the Martin Agwai committee report on security, efforts were in top gear to implement the report in resolving insecurity in the state.
“Government has conducted the biometric verification of pensioners. We were able to identify 2, 484 ghost pensioners. A further 1,404 pensioners have been classified as probable ghosts.
“Eight local government areas cannot afford to buy chairs for their primary schools because they are bankrupt. After paying salaries they have nothing left. Zaria local government has over 300 administrative staff.
“The major challenge in textile industry is smuggling and power. We have two power projects in Kaduna state; but the contract fees have not been paid for one and half years so we ask the federal government to allow us take over the projects Gurara dam with 30mw and Kudenda power project with 225mw all for Kaduna. We are discussing with CBN on funding the projects.”
