The Kaduna state Commissioner for Finance, Sama’ila Aliyu on Wednesday affirmed that the state was not one of those that benefited from the debt relief during the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, stating that upon assumption of office in 2013, it met in its coffers debt of N37.5 billion.
Sama’ila Aliyu, reiterated this fact in Kaduna where he stated that the huge debt was accrued from loans by the past administrations of the state since 1965.
The Commissioner noted that the debt relief the nation enjoyed in 2006 was loan gotten from Paris and London clubs, which the Kaduna state had never being one of the states that borrowed from it.
He made this known during his post-budget briefing, noting that the state was working round the clock to clear up the debt.
“In 2006 there was reconciliation and sharing of debt obtained as far back as 1965 between the new Kaduna State and Katsina State. The actual balance outstanding against Kaduna State was USD84, 995,475.13 (about N14. 45 billion).
“These loans do not form part of the debt relief from Paris and London Clubs. They were loans obtained from multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, International Development Bank, IDA, and the Africa Development Bank, AfDB.
“Over the years subsequent administration in the state continued to borrow from these financial institutions for various infrastructural development projects amounting to USD185, 968,750.26.”
Comments