Kano Gov Counters Own Commissioner Over Ramadan Feeding Programme Expenditure

 

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has disagreed with his official over the cost of the state government’s public feeding programme during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Mr Yusuf said he approved just over N1.1 billion for the programme and not N6 billion as claimed by his Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs, Halilu Dantiye.

Governor Yusuf made the clarification in the face of a public backlash against the programme over the huge expenditure and the poor quality of the meals being served under it.

Under the programme, the state government is providing meals at centres across the state for less-privileged Muslims observing the month-long sunrise-to-sunset Ramadan fast.

In a tweet on his verified X handle, the governor dismissed the N6 billion claim as “media speculations”, even though the commissioner provided the figure in a newspaper interview.

Over the past few days, I’ve observed heightened media speculations about our government purportedly budgeting the sum of six billion naira for the Ramadan Feeding Programme.

“I wish to categorically state that the actual amount for the program is the sum of one billion one hundred and ninety-seven million seven hundred thousand nairas, for the whole month.

“I also counsel the media to ensure that they get their figures regarding our projects from the proper sources without giving credence to speculative figures,” Mr Yusuf posted.

The commissioner, Mr Dantiye, who is the state government’s principal spokesperson, had in the interview with LEADERSHIP Newspaper said the government budgeted N6 billion for feeding the less-privileged across the state during the Ramadan period.

Mr Dantiye cited the example of the densely populated Kano metropolis where he said 18,000 people were being provided meals daily in 90 centres spread across the eight local government areas of the city.

He said the N6 billion budget covers the costs of food items, hiring of cooking utensils, allowances for cooks and security officials, and firewood among others.

“In each centre, we have three women who cook and three men who provide security so that people don’t tamper with the food or cause stampedes.

In each centre, there are two bags of rice to feed at least 200 people, that is 100 people per bag; there are also varieties such as beans cake and pap and other assorted food being cooked daily and served between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. targeted at the most needy.

“The centres are strategically selected where you have Islamic schools, densely populated areas, remand homes, hospitals, almajiri schools among others,” Mr Dantiye said in the interview.

This is nonsense!

The feeding programme has been controversial with the governor in a viral video describing the meals being served as “nonsense.” The video was recorded during unscheduled visits by Mr Yusuf to some of the feeding centres.

At one of the centres, Mr Yusuf said “This is nonsense” as he held a meal pack.