Kaduna governorship candidate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Usman Shehu Bawa, has raised concerns over the state’s rising debt profile, describing it as a major threat to sustainable development.

Bawa made the remarks on Wednesday, during a one-on-one policy dialogue with governorship candidates in Kaduna State, organised by the Partnership for Issue-Based Campaign (PICaN).

The PDP candidate alleged that Kaduna State’s total public debt had reached approximately ₦1 trillion, warning that the debt burden could undermine the government’s ability to provide essential services and improve residents’ living conditions.

“Currently, Kaduna State is in a debt trap. The total public debt of Kaduna State is ₦1 trillion”.

He further claimed that the debt translated into a significant financial burden for residents, arguing that the state needed a more accountable and sustainable approach to public borrowing and expenditure.

According to him, the state’s debt profile, alongside poverty, poor learning outcomes and high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, underscores the need for a new approach to governance.

Bawa cited figures which he said showed that Kaduna State’s external debt stood at $684.29 million, while its external debt-to-revenue ratio had risen to 312.66 per cent, exceeding the 150 per cent limit he referenced during his presentation.

He also highlighted what he described as persistent development challenges in the state, including multidimensional poverty, learning poverty and the high cost of accessing healthcare.

However, the figures presented by the candidate were not independently verified at the event.

In his presentation, Bawa compared Kaduna State’s debt profile under previous PDP administrations between 1999 and 2015 with the period of All Progressives Congress (APC) administrations from 2015 onward.

He claimed that the state’s external debt increased from $226.37 million during the period he associated with PDP administrations to $684.29 million under APC administrations.

He also put domestic debt at ₦49.85 billion during the PDP period and ₦84.64 billion during the APC period.

Explaining why he considered the comparison necessary, the candidate said his proposed administration would be guided by the PDP manifesto and would prioritise continuity in policies that deliver tangible benefits to residents.

“I am a PDP candidate, and my manifesto is guided by the PDP manifesto,” he said.

He added that governance should be driven by clear policy commitments rather than political arguments over borrowing. ( Tribune)