The Sokoto state government has assured that it will not abandon any property or properties belonging to the state which had been taken over by any financial institution.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey and Town Planning, Barrister Nasiru Aliyu Dan Tsoho, gave the assurances in an interview with journalists in Sokoto recently.
Dan Tsoho, while responding to questions on the indebtedness of the state to financial institutions to the tune of N1.8 billion, said, “I maintain my statement that, absolutely no record was handed over to us until these financial institutions started coming with their claims.
“They are profit making companies so they played their cards well. We are daily being ambushed. Certainly we have no option than to dialogue with them to find a solution.
“But rest assured that Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto would not allow any property or properties belonging to the people of Sokoto state to be taken over by any financial institution. Consequently, every month we pay about N300 million to the bank over the Sokoto central market transaction.”
He said unlike the immediate-past administration, the governor hasn’t borrowed any money, adding that every project was being funded from the federal allocation and internally generated revenue.
“Governor Aliyu ensures value for money. Each kobo that comes in counts, the people are seeing their resources being put to use.”
On the issues around the allocation of shops to traders at the central market, Dan-Tsoho said there are more than 1000 shops in the market adding that about 60 per cent of the shops are functional as only about 40 per cent was destroyed by fire.
“The immediate-past administration commenced reconstruction, but the project, technically speaking, was abandoned. The state government is now paying both principal and the interest.
We have records of those occupying the stores. We will ensure that everyone gets his shop back. For now there is no need to expand the market because there are still vacant shops.
