Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has revealed that since assuming office two years ago, he has not taken a single loan from any local or international financial institution.
Speaking in Hausa during an interview with Kaduna-based broadcast journalists as part of his two-year anniversary, the governor said he deliberately avoided loans despite numerous offers from banks, choosing instead to shield the state from additional debt.
To ensure fiscal discipline, Governor Sani implemented cost-cutting measures within his administration. “The Secretary to the State Government is a retired federal Permanent Secretary, who is also a former consultant with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Some of my Commissioners were receiving big salaries in their former places of work,” he said. “I persuaded them to forfeit their performance bonuses and to use the old cars that their predecessors used in the last administration.”
“These steps,” he added, “are how we have been running the administration without collecting a single loan.”
The governor also noted that he has leveraged personal networks built during his time as a Human Rights activist and Senator to attract grants and support from donor agencies. He highlighted the involvement of Qatar Charity, which is currently constructing the Kaduna Economic City and undertaking a Mass Housing project at Millennium City.
Governor Sani concluded by commending President Bola Tinubu for extending financial support to Kaduna State and others across Nigeria, helping them navigate ongoing fiscal challenges.
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