Kebbi Gov Sets Up Probe Panel Over Abandoned Governor’s Lodge, Hotel Project in Kaduna
Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, has approved the establishment of a high-powered committee to investigate the abandoned contract for the construction of the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge and Hotel in Kaduna, as part of efforts to determine the status and legal standing of the long-delayed project.
The approval, conveyed through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Yakubu Bala Tafida, followed growing concerns over the project, which was initiated during a previous military administration but has remained incomplete for years.
According to the directive, the committee is tasked with ascertaining the legal status of the project and determining whether the contractor involved reconciled with the Kebbi State Government, as earlier advised by the then Solicitor-General after the contract was revoked. The panel is also expected to assess the current state of the abandoned facility and investigate the factors responsible for its prolonged abandonment.
In addition, the committee will examine the circumstances that led to the revocation of the original contract and identify both the initial and revised contract sums associated with the project. The move is seen as part of the state government’s broader efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the execution of public projects.
The committee is chaired by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed Birnin Kebbi. Other members include the Special Adviser on Due Process, Surajo Garba Bagudo; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Ahmad Umar Yarima; and the Director of Architecture and Building in the Ministry of Works. The Director of EXCO, Kabiru Hassan Wasagu, will serve as Secretary of the committee.
Governor Idris has given the committee two weeks to complete its assignment and submit a comprehensive report to the state government for further action.