Kaduna's Governor El-Rufai stops handing out free foodstuffs during Ramadan

KADUNA State governor Nasir El-Rufai has stepped up his quest to cut waste in government spending by declaring that there will be no distribution of free food items during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

 

On Thursday, Nigerian Muslims, like their counterparts everywhere else, began the month-long fasting period during which they abstain from food from dawn to dusk then break the fast in the evening. Traditionally, governors of Nigeria's mainly Muslim northern states use the period to hand out free food items.

 

However, most of Nigeria's states are currently facing bankruptcy, owing civil servants salary arrears and the new government has asked governors to watch cut unnecessary spending. Subsequently, Governor El-Rufai has said that his administration would not continue with what he described as the People’s Democratic Party’s culture of sharing state’s resources.

 

Governor El-Rufai said: “I have been made to understand that during this Ramadan period, we are supposed to have started sharing rice, milk and sugar but we will not do that. If his government continues in such direction, the administration will only exist to pay salaries and allowances.

 

“This beautiful office complex in which we are, for instance cost the government about N10bn (£31.66m) but the deputy governor and I would not have built this when there are many masses-oriented projects yet to be executed. So, we solicit your prayers to be able to stabilise the situation and we hope that things will improve.”

 

Speaking in Kaduna when the executive members of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Jama’atu Nasril Islam visited him, Governor El-Rufai, said he had no choice but to use the expensive state house. He explained that he took the decision to stop the annual tradition of distribution of the products because he does not want government to be involved in religious affairs and the government is broke.

 

Past administrations in Kaduna State distributed rice, millet, vegetable oil, milk, sugar and other commodities to Muslims and also hosted religious groups to Ramadan breakfast. Governor El-Rufai added that if his government continues to fund the welfare package, it will barely be able to deliver on key mandates of his government, considering the state’s finances.