‘You lack understanding of governance’ — ex-commissioner tackles Kano government officials

Muhammad Garba, immediate past commissioner of information in Kano, has taken a swipe at the officials of the new administration in the state.

Garba said the lack of understanding of governance is the reason why some officials in the new administration make “unguarded statements”.

In a statement on Sunday, the former commissioner said instead of putting measures in place, like some states have already done to mitigate hardship induced by the removal of subsidy on petrol, the Kano government is busy criticising the federal government’s plans.

President Bola Tinubu had received approval from the national assembly to borrow $800 million which will translate to the disbursement of N8,000 to 12 million poor households.

Garba said the Kano government should work towards putting measures in place that would mitigate hardship brought about by the subsidy removal.

“A scenario had played out when the secretary to the Kano state government, Baffa Bichi, gave reason for the demolition of the iconic Kano roundabout, which he claimed carried a huge Christian cross, which he said was against Islamic ideology,” the former commissioner said.

“Unfortunately after an outrage, the SSG appeared on national television to embarrassingly deny making the statement, which also further eroded his personal credibility and that of the state government.

“The lack of understanding of what governance really is has been responsible for the inconsistencies and unguarded statements from senior officials of the NNPP government in Kano.

“In 2017, while negotiation were on between the federal government and the labour union on the N30,000 minimum wage, the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje went ahead and negotiated N36, 000 minimum wage and thereby became one of the first state governments to approve minimum wage above that of the federal government.”

Garba said the NNPP government officials should approach governance with ease and stop making statements capable of jeorpadising the peace and development of the state.