The Kano State government has said that the immediate-past All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje left behind a debt burden of over N500billion, a development, it said, impeded the smooth take-off of the new administration in the State led by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The State’s deputy governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, stated this in Kaduna on Friday while chairing the North-West Zonal Meeting of NNPP.

According to him, the huge debt owed by the past administration, which was in excess of N500billion at the end of the ongoing verification process, impeded the smooth take-off of the NNPP government in Kano.

He highlighted the remarkable achievements accomplished by the new NNPP administration led by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf within the short period of assumption of governance.

Abdussalam further assured party chieftains and members at the meeting that NNPP-led government would not disappoint the people of Kano State.

“We came into office inheriting a government that left us with nothing but debt. Initially, it was N300 billion, but now it is approaching N500 billion, and we are still counting. Once we complete the assessment, we will inform Nigerians, especially our fellow Kano residents, about the total debt left behind,” he stated.

He also highlighted the efforts of the current Kano State government under Governor Yusuf in managing the available resources judiciously, saying that, “Governor Yusuf ensured full payment of salaries to state workers and resolved outstanding issues and upon assuming office, he ordered the full payment of salaries which was not the case prior to our administration.

“Furthermore, due to Governor Kabir Yusuf’s compassion, starting this month, the state will be disbursing retirement gratuities, especially the death benefits to families of deceased retirees. The first beneficiaries will be those from levels one to six, as they are junior staff who have suffered the most. We have allocated N6 billion for this purpose. The screening process is underway, and by the end of this month, many people will receive their death benefits and gratuities. This initiative will continue, and our goal is to clear all outstanding gratuities within the next two years.”