By BASHIR BELLO, Kano

The Kano State Government says there is no going back on its intention to access loan for the construction of Light Rail Transit Project in Metropolitan Kano, a project conceived after due consultations with major stakeholders in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, stated this in a statement issued to newsmen to react to the Kwankwasiyya movement who challenged the Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led government over the loan.

Garba said no amount of criticism will deter the government from carrying out laudable projects that aim at transforming Kano to a Mega City.

According to the statement, “Since the foreign loan has already been approved by the China Export-Import Bank, government would go ahead with the projects and the state lawmakers have recommended the contractor Messrs CR18G-CRCEGJV to commence with lot I which starts from Dawanau Grains Market-Bata, being Phase I of the project and to be completed within 20 months.

“Similarly, all the due processes are being followed which include getting approval from the state House of Assembly and clearance from the relevant federal agencies and the National Assembly.

“The Kwankwasiyya position on the project is not in any way surprising considering that the movement never appreciate any thing no matter how well thought out by the APC administration in Kano.

“The Kwankwassiyya Movement, which has been overawed by the uncommon achievements of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration in all facets of development, and particularly, the initiation and execution of mega projects, is now afraid of its shadows. They have embarked on a smear campaign in a desperate move to bring the state government into disrepute.

“However, no amount of blackmail will stand as stumbling block for the APC government to initiate people oriented policies and programmes in the overall interest of the state,” the Commissioner, Muhammad Garba however stated.

Recalled that the Kwankwasiyya movement under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP through it spokesperson, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam has on Monday sued the Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje led government to court over proposed €684 million loan requested by the later from a China Development Bank challenging that the project is ill-concieved and plans to mortgage the future of the present and incoming generation in the state. (Vanguard)

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