Sir, it is very rare for this writer to engage your excellency. However it is not wrong for a poor subject of the government to solicit pure engagement in order to appeal for something very important, especially for our people.
Certainly, the Kano state government from its inception seven years ago has done tremendously well in infrastructure development, among other sectors. No one is in doubt of these developmental feats as could visibly be seen even by the doubting Thomases.
Having seen the lofty achievements visibly on ground, I repeat, one should do the expected which is thanking the government and the Governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The generality of the people, except perhaps the opposition, are commending the Kano state government’s efforts in developing the state.
Sir, we know you inherited a lot of abandoned projects with huge loans amounting to billions of naira. But having met the Kano state treasury with meagre amount of money that will not even be enough for a local government, you successfully carried on with such deficit and paid salaries regularly.
Those of us far away from the government know the Kano state government is second to Lagos in paying salaries. Some people may consider this as a mere praise singing, far from it as what I say is real to the core. It’s public knowledge that billions of money meant for paying pensioners were used by the previous governments but which the present government had to pay.
In 2014–2015, the payment of pension and gratuity was haphazard and by 2020–2022 things have become unbearable because many have retired while many more are on the queue. The Kano state government is doing its best but something drastic has to be done in order to reduce the tension, especially that of gratuity which takes a longer time even though, every month pension is duly paid.
But the thorn in the flesh is the payment of gratuity for which some old people who due to ailments cannot even walk out from their homes, will please need the benevolence of the government to pay them. This will enable some to pay the huge debts of rent and sundry expenditure.
While calling on the government to do the needful, I will however commend Governor Ganduje for his patience and foresight in governing Kano state despite the economic crunch bedeviling the world not only Nigeria. I appeal to the governor to please come to the aid of the old retirees because they need a helping hand. May God help the Kano state government in its laudable activities.
Comrade Ibrahim Abdu Zango,
Chairman, Kano Unity Forum,
Kano, Nigeria
08175472298
